BBC cameraman who was ‘thrown out of Coronation rehearsal’ after he was accused of trying to ‘secretly film King Charles’ claims he was in the ‘wrong place at wrong time’
- Neil Paton was escorted out after he was seen near anointing screen, reports say
- READ MORE: King ‘has BBC cameraman thrown out of Coronation rehearsals’
A BBC cameraman who was ‘thrown out of the Coronation rehearsal after being accused of trying to secretly film the King’ has reportedly claimed he was ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’.
Neil Paton was escorted out of Westminster Abbey after it is said the monarch spotted him ‘trying to record one of the secret parts of the ceremony’ during rehearsals.
He had wondered away from his accredited post and was said to have been ‘lurking’ near screens where King Charles was due to be anointed with holy oil, The Sun has reported.
Security then escorted him off the premises, with his accreditation immediately torn up, according to sources.
Mr Paton has reportedly been off duty since the incident and told BBC bosses that he had ‘inadvertently’ been near the four-panelled screen.
BBC cameraman Neil Paton was escorted out of Westminster Abbey after it is said the monarch spotted him ‘trying to record one of the secret parts of the ceremony’ during rehearsals
He reportedly told execs that he had left his post to retrieve some camera kit and denied trying to film the sacred anointing on his phone.
Calling it a ‘humiliating’ gaffe for the broadcaster, a source said last week: ‘Charles spotted the cameraman trying to film him during the run-through for the most sensitive part of the ceremony.
‘The BBC guy was looking shifty as he lurked in view of the screens holding his mobile phone. He had no business being there whatsoever. He had an accredited spot in the Abbey.
‘It is highly irregular for any journalist to leave their set position in such circumstances. And it’s deeply concerning to think he would be trying to film precious moments deliberately hidden from public view.’
The anointing of the sovereign is the most sacred part of the coronation ceremony – considered so sacred that it is hidden from public view.
King Charles III is said to have seen the cameraman out of the corner of his eye on Friday secretly filming the walkthrough for the sacred anointing
As was the case with his mother’s Coronation in 1953, the King’s anointment by the Archbishop of Canterbury was also concealed from onlookers.
Another source described the potential breach of privacy as ‘horrendous’ and added it was a ‘stressful, anxious time for everyone concerned’.
In response to the Sun’s story, a BBC spokesman claimed that some reports on the incident had been ‘completely incorrect.’
MailOnline has approached the BBC further clarification.
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