Overview

• An unnamed senior minister recalls the Queen saying in spring 2016, “We shouldn’t leave the EU,” and, “It’s better to stick with the devil you know,” according to extracts from Valentine Low’s Power and the Palace.
• Buckingham Palace declined to comment, reiterating the convention of political neutrality, and prior to the referendum IPSO ruled The Sun’s 2016 “Queen Backs Brexit” headline was significantly misleading.
• David Cameron was reportedly aware of her private view but chose not to deploy it during the Remain campaign, saying she valued European cooperation while finding EU institutions infuriating.
• The book reports the Queen sometimes called Brussels bureaucracy “ridiculous” in private, reflecting irritation with process rather than support for Leave.
• Low also writes that palace officials pressed to remove overtly political phrasing from the Queen’s Speech, including the Brexit slogan “take back control,” with the full book due to be published on September 11.