Queen urged to deny media mogul House of Lords seat

The late Queen Elizabeth II was reportedly asked to block a peerage for Russian-British media tycoon Evgeny Lebedev in the House of Lords, which was recommended by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The request was made by British government officials in July 2020 amid concerns about Russian influence on British politics. However, the palace reportedly refused the request, citing concern about involving the monarch in a political controversy. The appointment was ultimately waived through, but it drew political heat for Johnson.