Man calls at Palace and asks for Queen

A lost tourist walked past police at the gates of Buckingham Palace, knocked on a door and asked for the Queen.

The man crossed the forecourt shortly before 6pm on Wednesday and got to the door of the Privy Purse, which is used by Palace officials.

Police said the man was in the area for only about a minute before being spotted and asked to leave. The Queen was in the Palace at the time and an inquiry has started.

Earlier this year, Prince Charles's home St James's Palace was plagued by foreign tourists trying to climb in over the walls. They all later claimed they were taking a shortcut.

Last December, paraglider Brett De La Mare landed in the grounds of Buckingham Palace as a stunt for his book. In 1982, Michael Fagan got into the Queen's bedroom.