When Queen Elizabeth II was about to turn 70, Prince Edward and other family members planned a lavish birthday surprise – but Buckingham Palace was upset as plans were leaked

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are pictured around the time of her 70th birthday in 1996(Image: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

A journalist has today told how he annoyed Prince Philip when he unwittingly “ruined” Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday surprise.

Richard Kay was unaware the monarch did not yet know about designs for her 70th birthday, and so his story was published in his newspaper. It caused “uproar at Buckingham Palace” as royals, including Prince Edward and Prince Philip, had prepared a boat trip along the River Thames to the famous Waterside Inn at Bray, Berkshire, for the Queen to enjoy a meal.

“I was accused of spoiling a surprise party, and told that the Queen, because of the very nature of her role, got very few unexpected treats and I had ruined one… There was uproar at Buckingham Palace,” Mr Kay wrote.

When the journalist later reported on one of Her Majesty’s overseas tours, during which she hosted a garden party, Prince Philip spotted him talking to a group of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting. Philip, it is understood, then told them off for talking to “that bloody man”.

Queen Elizabeth II is pictured alongside the Queen Mother on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during 1996’s Trooping The Colour(Image: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

Mr Kay, who recalls the “boat episode” in today’s edition of the Daily Mail, was quietly asked to avoid the Queen at the garden party as she was still upset about the story. She rarely had surprises for her birthday due to the nature of her role and so, in 1996, her family had hoped to pull out all the stops for her big day.

But when royal reporter Mr Kay became aware of the plans, he prepared a story for the Daily Mail as protocol for his role. He was not conscious Her Majesty did not yet know anything of the treats. Both Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson were accused of leaking the story to Mr Kay – but he insists they were blameless.

Members of the royal family, seen in 1996, wanted to surprise the beloved monarch(Image: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth II would usually head to the luxurious Ritz Hotel in the heart of London for supper on her birthday. Surprises like the one Philip and Edward had planned were rare due to the nature of the monarch’s work.

The monarch had two birthdays – an official one in June as well as her own in April – as was the famous historic tradition. Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born on April 21, 1926, to The Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and The Queen Mother) and while she never expected to come to the throne, she has carried on one of the monarch’s most famous annual celebrations.

The tradition dates all the way back to King George II in 1748, who combined the annual Trooping the Colour with his birthday celebrations, even though he was born in November.