Queen didn't get to meet Clinton this time

Queen Said To Be "Irritated" By Blair

The paper also claimed that Buckingham Palace was uneasy at an approach from Downing Street aides as to whether it would be possible to move the Prime Minister's regular Tuesday evening audience with the Queen to match Mr Blair's busy schedule.

With regard to President Clinton's visit to London on Thursday, the paper said that in an unusual move, "senior Buckingham Palace sources" had revealed to it the Queen's views about not being asked to meet the US visitor. The paper quoted one source complaining that it had been "an extraordinary lack of courtesy" that no one had picked up the phone to ask if she would like Mr Clinton to see her privately "even if it was just for a cup of tea".

The Palace reportedly thought Mr Blair was being "too grand" and that "Prime Ministers should play second fiddle to monarchs".

However paper also quoted diplomatic sources in Washington insisting that it would have been "quite unusual" for Mr Clinton to meet the Queen during a one day "working visit".

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson denied the report and said the Queen did not expect to meet President Clinton on this visit. "It would have been nice if it could have been arranged but it is total nonsense to suggest that the Queen is in any way unhappy or dissatisfied that she did not have tea with the Clintons," she said.

A Downing Street spokesperson quashed the report and denied that the Queen had been approached about moving the Tuesday evening meeting. "We understand that Buckingham Palace had made clear that the Queen was not in any way unhappy about the arrangements for the Clinton visit," she said.