Urgent Palace security probe

The Queen has demanded a top-level inquiry into the biggest ever breach of royal security on the eve of President Bush's state visit.

An undercover journalist posed as a footman at Buckingham Palace for two months after providing fake references. He even served the Queen breakfast.

Today her most senior aides, including private secretary Sir Robin Janvrin, were holding crisis meetings at the same time as Mr and Mrs Bush were being formally welcomed at the Palace.

A senior royal source said: "The Queen will need to have answers if this is raised by the President."

Buckingham Palace is expected to wait until after the state visit before launching a full-scale investigation.

The Palace and Scotland Yard refused to comment. The Metropolitan Police will also be holding a high-level initial inquiry and a statement is expected later today.

The key questions will be how Ryan Parry, 26, came to be employed when an internet search would have revealed he was a Daily Mirror journalist.

The future of Commander Peter Loughborough, head of Scotland Yard's royal and diplomatic protection department, is in question while Tony Blair faces extreme personal embarrassment when he meets Mr Bush later today.

The fiasco comes only months after Prince William's 21st birthday party at Windsor Castle was gatecrashed by a comedian.

Fears among Mr Bush's security entourage were already at fever pitch after a protester scaled the Palace gates yesterday.