"When he goes out and makes a great speech, she advises him, and gives him her opinion, and it's taken seriously," Chabria said.

“Americans deserve for us to debate the issue seriously, including by considering amendments from the Democratic side,” he said.

Clark, 22, took the messages seriously enough that she “altered her public appearances and patterns of movement due to fear for her safety,” according to the court filing.

The decision to formally inform the queen came amid growing concerns in Whitehall that the truth would inevitably come out after Blunt, who had been seriously ill with cancer, died.

It said it took "false and defamatory statements seriously", while the Welsh government said claims relating to the video were "utterly irresponsible".