Palace dismisses reports the Queen backed Brexit during Windsor Castle lunch row

Buckingham Palace has insisted the Queen is "politically neutral" over the EU referendum after reports claimed she backed Brexit in a row with former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

It comes after a report in The Sun claimed Her Majesty "let rip" at Mr Clegg during a lunch at Windsor Castle, telling him she believed the European Union was heading in the "wrong direction".

Mr Clegg has dismissed the claims as "nonsense."

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace told the newspaper: "The Queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years. We would never comment on spurious, anonymously sourced claims.

“The referendum will be a matter for the British people."

Last month questions were raised as to whether the Duke of Cambridge had appeared to signal his support for Britain remaining in the EU during a speech at the Foreign Office.

Kensington Palace said the Duke of Cambridge's comments were not a political speech.