The Queen 'did not approve of same-sex marriage', report claims

The report conflicts with earlier rumours

David Cameron with The Queen (Getty Images)

The Queen was not supportive of plans to bring in same-sex marriage, according to reports.

The Daily Mail newspaper cites a “friend” of the monarch, who is reported to have said she could not intervene in the debate.

“I can only advise and warn,” the Queen is quoted as saying.

Though apparently supportive of civil partnerships, she is believed to have been opposed to the marriage rule change on religious grounds.

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act was introduced in 2013 and lifted the ban on same-sex unions.

The report conflicts with a report last year, recounted by broadcaster Stephen Fry, who told the Jonathan Ross Show that the Queen thought equal marriage was “wonderful”.

He at the time said he did not know whether the story was true, however, as he had heard it second hand.

The Queen is the head of the Church of England, whose leadership is opposed to same sex marriage.

The Marriage Act also includes provisions to ban Anglican churches from conducting same-sex weddings, even where vicars and congregations support them.

A poll at the start of this year found that more lay Anglicans now support same sex marriage than oppose it, however.

YouGov found 45 per cent of Anglicans believed equal marriage was right while just 37 per cent believed it was wrong.

That poll was a marked shift from a previous poll three years where 38 per cent were in favour and 47 per cent against.

The public at large are also overwhelmingly supportive of equal marriage, according to the latest polls.

In 2013 around the introduction of the law 54 per cent supported equal marriage, while 37 per cent opposed it.

A spokesman for the Queen told the Daily Mail: “We do not comment on private conversations.”

The Independent repeatedly tried to reach Buckingham Palace for additional comment on this story.