Queen’s major in probe over ‘snorting powder off sword’
ONE of the Queen’s guards filmed allegedly snorting a line of powder off a ceremonial sword faces being ‘disciplined robustly’ should an inquiry find him guilty.
Major James Coleby, 41, was apparently captured on camera sniffing the substance in the officers’ mess at St James’s Palace while commanding a unit.
The Coldstream Guards’ major was recorded in a 30-second mobile phone clip which was mistakenly posted on a messaging service for troops.
Yesterday the Ministry of Defence said it was investigating and said it would ‘discipline robustly’ any officer who fell short of standards.
In the clip, shot a week ago and obtained by The Sun newspaper, an officer named as Captain Alex Ritchie is seen hunched over the sword as he chops up a line of powder with a plastic card.
Captain Ritchie, 27, then asks Major Coleby: ‘How much? Two inches? You want two inches of that? If you get rid of that I’ll be mightily impressed.’ A woman is also heard saying: ‘No, don’t do it, for the love of God!’
But the grinning officer puts a finger over his right nostril and snorts the substance, which is not identified, off the ceremonial sword as others watch.
Major Coleby reportedly had another 13 hours left on duty, in charge of the unit that responds to any royal security breaches.
The Iraq and Afghanistan veteran was overseeing 15 men at St James’s Palace and in command of a Quick Reaction Force, which is supposed to respond to any royal emergencies within minutes.
There have been four such scares in the past four months.
The footage was taken and accidentally shared with other personnel by Lieutenant Charles McLean.
When the 27-year-old realised his mistake he sent a message ordering the removal of the video. He, Major Coleby and Captain Ritchie now face a Ministry of Defence inquiry.
Captain Ritchie’s father used to be the commanding officer of both Prince William and Prince Harry.
Colonel Richard Kemp, who led British troops in Afghanistan, said: ‘This behaviour is both highly worrying and acutely embarrassing for the British Army. Officers are there to set an example.’ A source said that drinking alcohol while on duty was not against the rules, but that if the substance turned out to be a drug it would be a criminal matter.
Another added: ‘How could they have reacted had there been a terror attack on the Royal Family?
‘They were supposed to be protecting them but they had a right royal p*** up and one of them snorted lines of who knows what. The Queen will be outraged.’
In 2008, five soldiers whose duties included guarding the Queen were dismissed from the Army after failing routine drug tests.
An MoD spokesman said: ‘The Army expects all personnel to stick to its high standards and any found to fall short are disciplined robustly.’
‘Worrying and embarrassing’