A TEENAGER from Dorset is to apologise to the Queen after streaking across the lawn at a royal garden party.

Barney Keen, 17, is "extremely embarrassed" by the prank which shocked guests at Buckingham Palace, his father has said.

Onlookers cheered as the streaker was rugby tackled by a Yeoman of the Guard in ceremonial costume after running naked across the grass.

Today's Sun names the teenager as the streaker. His father Jake Keen - a teacher from Cranborne - had been invited to the party in honour of his services to education.

Mr Keen said in a statement: "He regarded it as an honour to attend the Royal garden party. He is extremely embarrassed by the incident and regrets any discourtesy.

"I would like to apologise for the ill-considered actions of my son."

One witness, who did not want to be named, said: "He was running very fast. He was manhandling himself and going 'Wahey!'"

Barney Keen is a keen actor who has performed with Bournemouth Centre for the Community Arts and Forest Forge Theatre, and who appeared in Swan Theatre's production of Juno and the Paycock at Ferndown last month.

Pat Clark, chairman of Boscombe United Action Group, was one of the 8,000 guests and was yards away when he performed his streak.

"We were in a circle waiting for the Queen to come and talk to us and Prince Charles and Prince Philip were a little bit further along on their own. Suddenly this guy raced across and fell over and lost what bit of clothing he had left and finished up streaking naked along the rest of the way before he was stopped," she said.

"He probably ran a good 15 feet like that."

She added: "The one thing that bothered me was the fact that somebody had got as far as being able to behave like that at a royal garden party without anybody apprehending him a lot sooner. I think he took everybody totally by surprise."

Garden party rules say sons and daughters accompanying their families must be aged between 18 and 25. Buckingham Palace said it was taking steps to ensure the age rules were observed in future.

A palace spokeswoman said: "We understand that the father of the young man involved in this streaking incident has apologised.

"We also understand that the young man concerned is writing a letter of apology to the Queen. We regard the matter as now closed."

Police detained his for a short while but he was freed after a ticking off.

Today's Sun claims Keen did the streak as part of a £100 bet with his brother.