6. ASSESSMENT
6.1 Officer A is, by all professional measures known to this officer, an exemplary serving member of the Household Division. His conduct in the present incident is wholly inconsistent with his record to date. This officer respectfully suggests that the incident be treated as an isolated lapse of judgement attributable to extenuating personal circumstances.
6.2 Visitor B is no longer a foreign royal and holds no diplomatic status. He does, however, retain a British passport and is, this officer is given to understand, of cousinly relation, however distant, to His Majesty.
6.3 This officer notes that, were the incident to be brought to formal disciplinary attention, it would require the production and review of approximately ninety seconds of footage that no person currently employed by the Royal Household ought to be required to watch in the course of their duties.
7. RECOMMENDATION
7.1 That the matter be referred to the Private Secretary to His Majesty for advisement.
7.2 That the original footage be retained, in line with Standing Order 22/A, in the encrypted archive for a period of seven years, after which it may be reviewed for destruction.
7.3 That all personnel currently aware of the contents of this report be reminded of their obligations under the Official Secrets Act and the Royal Household’s internal confidentiality protocols.
7.4 That the small meeting room at the eastern end of the west corridor on the ground floor be added to the morning sweep schedule.
7.5 That this officer be permitted, on the next occasion he is on duty, to take an early lunch.
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M. J. Jenkins
Sergeant, Royal Household Security
Appendix A: Medical assessment (Visitor B, sling, right arm, fractured radius, healing well per attending physician at the Royal London)
Appendix B: Cloakroom footage summary (retained, not appended)
Appendix C: Standing Order references
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V+B,
You will see, on a careful read, that Sergeant Jenkins is a man of considerable professional integrity. He has filed an honest account of what he saw, with a level of restraint that I would not have managed in his position.
Now. To the matter in hand.
The footage no longer exists in any form that anyone can use against either of you. The original was retrieved from the encrypted archive on Wednesday evening. It has been deleted, the deletion has been verified, the verification has been logged, and the log has been deleted. Sergeant Jenkins’s report has been pulled from the file and sits in my desk drawer in the only remaining copy. I shall burn it once you confirm receipt of this letter, which I assume you will do by ringing me at an unsociable hour and shrieking down the line.
Caroline, who read it before forwarding, asked me to tell you only that she expects you to bring Beauchamp to lunch at Buckingham Palace on Sunday week and that he is to be addressed, for the duration of his visit, by his Christian name.
I love you, you ridiculous, theatrical, unsalvageable man. I have loved you since you came down the stairs at Eton with your hair too long and your collar undone and informed me, within ninety seconds of meeting, that I had the wrong tie on for chapel. You were right about the tie. With the full warmth of my office and my person, I am glad that you have been right about Beauchamp.
JAMS
P.S. You and Beauchamp are to stay away from the Throne Room when you come to BP.
END
