It was Mr Fincham who, in bullish mood following a run of ratings hits such as Strictly Come Dancing and critically acclaimed dramas such as Life on Mars, flagged up at a press launch in July that the Queen was featured "walking out in a huff" following a bust-up with photographer Annie Leibovitz. It was the first time he had seen the clip and he talked it up, mindful of the need to generate publicity for the autumn season. In fact, as the report makes clear, the full rushes show the Queen walking into, rather than out of, the photo session, saying "I've had enough dressing like this"; and after the clip, in which she looked stern-faced, she chuckled and carried on with the shoot. By 6pm, the director of the series and the executive producer had both "realised what a terrible mistake had been made" in sending Mr Lambert's show reel to the BBC, although there was still confusion over whose fault it was. By 7pm Mr Fincham and Ms Fletcher knew that the order of the clips was wrong and that the Sun was due to splash on the story of the Queen walking out.
Even as the tabloid and other newspapers cleared their front pages Mr Fincham, Ms Fletcher, Mr Lambert and the palace press office could not agree a statement until 9.44pm clarifying the situation. And having agreed its wording, incredibly they decided it should be held over until the morning when both sides could "check the temperature of the story".
Mr Wyatt rules that it was "naive" of the BBC team to think the story would blow over. Meanwhile, the press office did not intervene. And Jana Bennett (pictured), the director of BBC Vision and Mr Fincham's boss, failed to read the statement that had been emailed to her by Mr Fincham.
