Teenager sorry for royal streak

A teenager who streaked across the lawn at the Queen's summer garden party is "extremely embarrassed" by his actions, his father said today.

The 17-year-old, who has not been named, is writing a letter of apology to the Queen after his stunt at Buckingham Palace yesterday.

The blond-haired youth, who was attending the event with his family, pulled down his trousers and blue and white striped boxer shorts and charged across the neatly cut grass of the Palace grounds in front of 8,000 guests.

The crowds of onlookers cheered as he was rugby tackled and apprehended by a Yeoman of the Guard dressed in red and gold ceremonial costume.

His father - a teacher from the south of England - apologised in a statement issued through Buckingham Palace.

"He regarded it as an honour to attend the Royal garden party," the father, who has also not been named, said.

"He is extremely embarrassed by the incident and regrets any discourtesy
I would like to apologise for the ill-considered actions of my son."

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "We understand that the father of the young man involved in this streaking incident has apologised.

"We also understand that the young man concerned is writing a letter of apology to the Queen. We regard the matter as now closed."

The youth was not arrested, but spoken to by the police and later escorted out of the Palace grounds.