Scotland Yard backs Prince Andrew security bungle police after 'Mexican stand-off'

Prince Andrew reportedly shouted 'Don’t you know who I am?' at armed royal protection officers during the incident

Scotland Yard confirmed that a man was stopped at around 18:00 on Wednesday and was ordered to verify his identity. They have not, however, confirmed that the man was Prince Andrew. (AFP/Getty)

Scotland Yard has defended the actions of armed officers who challenged Prince Andrew to identify himself in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, as further details of the confrontation emerged.

The Evening Standard reported that Met insiders said it was unlikely the officers would be disciplined, despite the Duke of York being allegedly furious about the incident.

The newspaper also reported that the Prince, who was said to have been "livid" about the incident and "tore them [the officers] off a strip", had previously been challenged once at Sandringham after he failed to show his official pass.

Yesterday Prince Andrew released a statement saying he was "grateful" for an apology from the Met.

"The police have a difficult job to do balancing security for the Royal Family and deterring intruders, and sometimes they get it wrong.

"I am grateful for their apology and look forward to a safe walk in the garden in the future," the statement said.

According to reports police confronted the Prince as he returned from an engagement and had gone for a walk when he was stopped by a pair of uniform marksmen.

The two officers shouted at him to “verify his identity” in a confrontation that has been described as a “Mexican stand-off”.

The Evening Standard said the prince had not made an official complaint and that insiders were stressing that the officers were not expecting to be disciplined for "doing what they are supposed to do.”

The Daily Mirror reported today that Prince Andrew had shouted “Don’t you know who I am?” at armed royal protection officers during the incident. The paper also said that insiders claimed Andrew was “absolutely raging” after being confronted while walking alone in a far corner of the grounds.

The report claims that Prince Andrew was uncooperative with officers, “took offence” and started “shouting at them like a school teacher”.

Scotland Yard yesterday confirmed that a man was stopped at around 18:00 on Wednesday and was ordered to verify his identity.

Despite reports to the contrary police claimed that "no weapons were drawn and no force was used" in the incident.

Police were described as "jittery" following the arrest and sectioning of Victor Miller, 37, after he was found on Monday night inside Buckingham palace.

The arrest for burglary inside Buckingham Palace is the most serious security incident since Michael Fagan, an unemployed father of four, broke into the palace in 1982 and sat talking to the Queen.

He had gained access to the building by climbing over the palace walls and up a drain pipe.

The Queen managed to raise the alarm when Fagan asked for a cigarette, allowing her to call for a footman who held him until police arrived.