The British National party's latest quest for political respectability collapsed in fiasco when its leader, Nick Griffin, was barred from the Queen's garden party at Buckingham Palace just two hours before it was due to begin after royal officials decided he had exploited his invitation for political purposes.
Griffin, who had earlier boasted on television that he would be representing a million British patriots – "this event shows how far this party has come" – was left fuming over what he described as a "thoroughly unBritish outrage".
The invitations to him and his deputy, Andrew Brons, had been issued to them in their capacity as MEPs and there was a palpable sense that the palace's late decision had been taken with some relief after the BNP leader gave a hostage to fortune with his televised boasting. The ban did not extend to Griffin's wife and children, but they did not attend.
Announcing the decision at lunchtime, just before the 8,000 guests began arriving, a palace statement said brusquely: "Nick Griffin MEP will be denied entry to today's garden party at Buckingham Palace due to the fact he has overtly used his personal invitation for party political purposes through the media. This, in turn, has increased the security threat and the potential discomfort to the many other guests also attending. We would apply the same rules to anyone who would try to blatantly politicise their attendance in this way."
Griffin said: "This is quite amazing news. At no time was I informed that I wasn't allowed to talk to the media about this. Other people have talked about attending. Why a double standard here? To say that one person in the country cannot speak to the media is an outrage."
In his leader's absence, Brons, the MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, cut a distinctly isolated figure among the clergy, civic leaders, members of the military and charity workers also attending the garden party, the last of three at the palace this summer.
He had boasted on his website that he would be "welcomed at Buckingham Palace by Her Majesty the Queen" but found himself several rows back in the crowd lining the Queen's route towards the refreshment tent, with no chance of meeting her, let alone being welcomed. He spoke to no one except his daughter Emma.
Brons told the Guardian: "The cucumber sandwiches were excellent. I don't blame the Queen for this. I think it's down to the politicians.
"You will find the grubby fingers of David Cameron on this. This is a marvellous occasion. I don't tell the Queen who she should invite."
Standing close by, Asghar Majeed, the first Muslim to be deputy mayor of Windsor and Maidenhead – who is a Conservative – said: "I am glad Griffin was banned. Personally, I don't think they should be here, but they are a political party so I suppose you can't stop them if they have been elected."
A Unite Against Fascism spokesman said they were delighted by the decision to ban Griffin: "I think this is a fantastic decision that's been taken. The invitation in the first place was a blow for those who suffered in the Holocaust and, more recently, those who have suffered at the hands of racists and homophobes."