In a case of mistaken identity, armed police pointed guns at Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth II's son, and ordered him to put his hands up in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, a media report said today.
For a tense half a minute, the Queen's 53-year-old son was in danger of being shot dead by officers paid to protect him and his family, the Daily Express reported.
An internal inquiry is being carried out into the extraordinary incident, which took place last Wednesday, two days after a trespassing and burglary incident took place at Buckingham Palace.
Royal protection officers were said be "jittery" after a genuine intruder had been found in the Palace's state rooms two days earlier.