The Prime Minister's former director of communications has apologised for the "anger and hurt" caused by a leaving party held in Downing Street the night before the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.
James Slack, who last year left No 10 to become deputy editor-in-chief at The Sun, said the party on April 16 2021, "should not have happened at the time that it did".
Slack said in an emailed statement issued earlier today: "I wish to apologise unreservedly for the anger and hurt caused.
"This event should not have happened at the time that it did. I am deeply sorry, and take full responsibility."
But he said he could not comment further as the issue had been referred to senior official Sue Gray as part of her investigation.
The party was held the night before the Queen attended her husband's funeral wearing a face mask and socially distanced from her family at Windsor Castle, in line with Covid restrictions.
The Telegraph reported that advisers and civil servants gathered after work for two separate events on April 16 2021.
They were to mark the departures of Slack and one of the PM's personal photographers, the newspaper said.
The Telegraph cited a No 10 spokesperson as saying Johnson was not in Downing Street that day. He is said to have been at Chequers.
Security minister Damian Hinds has said he was "shocked" to read about the party, but that he is "not in a position to comment" because he was not there.
When asked about Slack's apology for the event on BBC Breakfast, he said: "Reading this story this morning, I was shocked.
"This was a particularly solemn time for our whole nation, as Her Majesty the Queen was mourning Prince Philip, and I was shocked by these allegations.
"I personally don't know more about them. This is the first time I have heard that (Slack's apology)."
He added: "I was shocked to read it. Shocked is the start of it, but I'm not in a position to talk about what did or didn't happen, not because I'm holding it back from you, but because I don't know, I wasn't there.
"I think it's important that we have an investigation ongoing into events, plural, and alleged events."
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