'Stick with devil you know': Late Queen Elizabeth II opposed Brexit - new book reveals

A new book claims that Britain’s late Queen Elizabeth II did not support Brexit but was critical of European Union bureaucracy .

Power and the Palace, written by former royal correspondent Valentine Low, explores the relationship between the monarchy and government and how the withdrawal of the UK from the EU was viewed within the royal household .

By convention, the Queen never took part in politics and never publicly referred to Brexit, with Buckingham Palace making it clear that the Monarch remained neutral. But almost three years after her death, it has been reported that she was unhappy with the idea of leaving the EU and was frustrated by Brussels bureaucracy, the UK Mirror reported.

According to the book, the Queen told a senior minister more than three months before the Brexit referendum that "we shouldn’t leave the EU", adding: "It’s better to stick with the devil you know."

A palace insider quoted in the book said the Queen saw the EU as part of the post-war settlement, which marked cooperation after two world wars.

The late Queen was also reported to have expressed irritation with EU bureaucracy, once remarking "this is ridiculous" while reading the papers.

The Times, citing the book, said the Queen’s comments to the minister came as they discussed the referendum. The paper also reported that she viewed the EU as part of the post-war settlement, "marking an era of cooperation after two world wars."

Former Prime Minister David Cameron said: "She was so careful never to express a political view, but you always sensed that, like most of her subjects, she thought that European co-operation was necessary and important, but the institutions of the EU sometimes can be infuriating."

In the 2016 referendum, Leave won with 52 per cent of the vote, against 42 per cent for Remain.