Britain's Queen Elizabeth II walks through Norman Porch ahead of giving her speech during the official State Opening of Parliament, at the House of Lords in London, Wednesday May 18, 2016. The State Opening of Parliament marks the formal start of the parliamentary year and the Queen's Speech sets out the government’s agenda for the coming session. (Yui Mok/Pool via AP)
May 18, 2016 - 7:07 AM
LONDON - Britain's press regulator has reprimanded tabloid newspaper The Sun for claiming Queen Elizabeth II wants the U.K. to leave the European Union.
The Independent Press Standards Organization says the headline "Queen Backs Brexit" made a "factual assertion that the queen had expressed a position in the referendum debate" that wasn't supported by the accompanying article.
Buckingham Palace complained to the regulator about the March article, which claimed the queen had criticized the EU during functions with politicians.
The monarch is expected to remain politically neutral and not express opinions on issues such as Britain's upcoming referendum on whether to remain in the EU.
The Sun published the watchdog's ruling in Wednesday's edition. But editor Tony Gallagher said he didn't accept that the paper had made an error.
News from © The Associated Press, 2016