London, July 24: A streaker interrupted a Buckingham Palace garden party on Tuesday when he dashed across the lawns yards from the Queen.
The 17-year-old youth was brought down by a Beefeater in ceremonial costume as he approached the royal tea tent. He had a ticket for the event, issued by the Lord Chamberlain, and was accompanying his embarrassed family. The stunt was apparently the result of a dare by his brother. The police said there was no breach of security and no risk to members of the royal family present, including the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
Some of the 8,000 guests cheered wildly as the young man removed his jacket, trousers, boxer shorts and shoes and, according to witnesses, ran amok shouting "Wahey" as he did so.
A Scotland Yard spokesperson said: "At 4.45 pm a male who was an invited guest at the Buckingham Palace garden party was detained by the police. On Tuesday night he was being held in the grounds of the palace but had not been arrested. He was being spoken to by the police." She added: "There was no breach of security or risk to the royal party or other guests."
A witness told The Times: "He was a young kid. He was with a family of four... He ran through the crowd, down the aisle, then dropped his boxers..."