Buckingham Palace uses PinkNews article to claim Queen didn’t oppose same-sex marriage
Buckingham Palace sources have cited a PinkNews story to journalists in order to push back against claims the Queen opposed same-sex marriage.
The Queen, who maintains political neutrality as Head of State, gave Royal Assent to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act in 2013, allowing it to become law.
The Mail broke with royal protocol by publishing comments purportedly from a friend of the Queen, suggesting the Monarch expressed “frustration” with same-sex marriage but opting to maintain her politically-neutral role.
However, sources at Buckingham Palace are pushing back against the claims.
A palace source told The Daily Beast: “We’re not going to get into a did she/didn’t she [on the issue]”, adding that the story was “spurious and unsubstantiated”.
The source added: “It seems unlikely that one of her friends would pass on her thoughts to The Mail.”
The outlet adds that one palace source responded to a request for comment by linking to a PinkNews story from last year, reporting actor Stephen Fry’s claims that the Queen thinks is equal marriage is “wonderful”.
In the article, Mr Fry recounted the “apocryphal” tale of the Queen remarking that same-sex marriage is “wonderful”.
He said: “It was only last summer that Her Majesty The Queen gave the Royal Assent.
“I don’t know whether this is true, but there’s an Italian saying… if it’s not true, it’s well founded.
“When the Queen signed the Royal Assent for the equal marriages act, allowing gay people to marry for the first time, she put it down and said ‘Well, who’d have thought 62 years ago when I came to the throne, I’d be signing something like this? Isn’t it wonderful?’”
Many poked holes in his story – as Fry suggests the law was physically signed by the Monarch, which does not routinely happen.
Though the palace source did not openly endorse Mr Fry’s point of view, the very fact they are linking to it may suggest an element of truth.
The Royal Family has maintained a long-held silence on LGBT rights in general – with Prince William becoming the first future Monarch to explicitly condemn homophobia last year.
The Duke of Cambridge took part in an LGBT anti-bullying session for the Diana Award, in honour of his mother – in which he spoke out against homophobia and posed infront of pride flags.
