Newly-released government documents have revealed that Downing Street was forced to deliver a humiliating apology after then-Prime Minister John Major's 1994 birthday telegram to the Queen Mother was addressed improperly.
The papers, made available at the National Archives in Kew, west London, disclose that the royal household took significant umbrage at the error.
The precise nature of the addressing mistake that provoked such displeasure remains unclear from the archived files.
Captain Sir Alastair Aird, the Queen Mother's private secretary, contacted Number 10 by telephone to demand answers about why the birthday greeting had been incorrectly addressed.
Newly-released government documents have revealed that Downing Street was forced to deliver a humiliating apology after then-Prime Minister John Major's 1994 birthday telegram to the Queen Mother was addressed improperly.
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Following an internal inquiry, Roderic Lyne from the No 10 private office penned a response that acknowledged the mistake whilst absolving Downing Street personnel of responsibility.
He wrote: "The message itself, as it left our hands, was entirely correct.
"However, in transmitting it, it appears that British Telecom most unfortunately addressed the telegram in the improper manner which you described.
"Our own staff are sticklers for the correct form, as you would imagine."
Despite the protocol breach, the Queen Mother responded with characteristic graciousness.
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Lyne offered a somewhat wry solution to prevent future diplomatic embarrassments, suggesting "perhaps the solution would be for us to abandon telegrams which seem in any case to be going out of fashion."
Despite the protocol breach, the Queen Mother responded with characteristic graciousness.
She sent her own telegram to Mr Major and his wife Norma expressing her gratitude.
"I was very touched by your kind message of good wishes on my birthday and send you both my warm thanks," she said.
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