1. BACKGROUND
1.1 At 1647hrs on [REDACTED], this officer was conducting routine review of CCTV footage from the west corridor of the ground floor of Clarence House, in accordance with StandingOrder 14/B, which requires the random sampling of one hour of recorded footage from each monitored zone per twenty-four-hour period.
1.2 The west corridor cameras cover, inter alia, the small meeting room at the end of the corridor, hereinafter “the Room.” The Room is fitted with two cameras. Camera 1 covers the door and the area immediately inside it. Camera 2, mounted on the cornice above the sash window, covers the remainder of the room, including the Persian rug and the area in front of the bookcase.
1.3 This officer was reviewing footage from the period 1500hrs to 1600hrs on the date in question.
1.4 The footage pertains to two individuals: MAJOR H. R. BEAUCHAMP, Household Division (hereinafter “Officer A”); and MR VIDAL MONTCADA Y SACKVILLE, formerly of the Principality of Cardona, attending Clarence House without prior notice (hereinafter “Visitor B”).
2. ENTRY INTO THE ROOM
2.1 At 1521hrs, Camera 1 records Officer A and Visitor B entering the Room from the corridor. Officer A is in standard daywear (charcoal suit, white shirt, regimental tie). Visitor B is in a camel overcoat. (See Section 4: Wardrobe Assessment.)
2.2 Officer A closes the door behind them. The lock is not engaged.
2.3 Officer A remains by the door. Visitor B advances into the Room and stops in the centre of the rug.
2.4 What follows is approximately two minutes of conversation between the parties, during which Officer A holds his ground at the door and Visitor B holds his ground on the rug. This officer therefore cannot report on the substance of the exchange, as cameras within the meeting rooms do not record audio. He notes for the record that Visitor B’s hand gestures were extensive and that Officer A’s posturebecame progressively less parade-ground over the course of the conversation.
3. PRINCIPAL INCIDENT
3.1 At 1523hrs, Visitor B advanced across the rug towards Officer A.
3.2 At 1523hrs and 47 seconds, Visitor B’s overcoat fell open at the front. This officer notes that Visitor B made no observable effort to close the overcoat at this juncture.
3.3 At 1524hrs, Officer A’s hand was observed to leave his trouser pocket and travel forwards.
3.4 At 1524hrs and 12 seconds, Officer A’s hand made contact with the bare skin of Visitor B’s waist, beneath the open front of the overcoat.
3.5 At 1524hrs and 19 seconds, Officer A bent his head and kissed Visitor B on the mouth.
3.6 The kiss persisted, with variations in angle and intensity, for approximately forty-three seconds.
3.7 At 1525hrs and 02 seconds, Visitor B’s posture against Officer A altered in a manner that this officer can only describe as forward, deliberate, and inconsistent with the maintenance of decorum within a royal residence.
3.8 At 1525hrs and 14 seconds, Officer A’s free hand was observed to enter the waistband of Visitor B’s undergarment and to remain there for the duration of the incident.
3.9 The Room’s cameras then recorded approximately ninety seconds of activity that this officer is not at liberty to describe in further detail in an official document, but which can be summarised as activity inconsistent with the proper functioning of a meeting room and the dignified comportment of a serving officer of the Household Division on duty within the residence of HRH The Princess Royal.
3.10 At 1526hrs and 47 seconds, Officer A appeared to experience the conclusion of the incident.
3.11 At 1526hrs and 51 seconds, Officer A’s forehead came to rest on Visitor B’s good shoulder. (Visitor B was wearing a sling. See Appendix A: Medical Assessment.)
3.12 The parties remained in this configuration for one minute and twelve seconds, during which Visitor B was observed to stroke the back of Officer A’s hair with his hand.
4. WARDROBE ASSESSMENT
4.1 On further review of Camera 2 footage (rear angle, higher resolution), this officer was able to confirm that the only garment beneath Visitor B’s overcoat was a pair of silk boxer shorts of a black or very dark navy colouring.
4.2 This officer wishes to note, for the record, that he has been monitoring the residences for ten years and has not previously had occasion to file a Wardrobe Assessment annexe of this nature.
5. POST-INCIDENT CONDUCT
5.1 At 1528hrs, Officer A and Visitor B disengaged. Officer A was observed to look down at the front of his trousers which had the appearance of dampness.
5.2 Visitor B laughed.
5.3 At 1532hrs, Officer A and Visitor B exited the Room, Visitor B’s overcoat now buttoned to the throat. Officer A held the door for Visitor B. Officer A then went directly to the staff cloakroom on the same corridor, from which he did not emerge for a further fourteen minutes. (See Appendix B: Cloakroom Footage Summary, retained on file but not appended.)
