Does Britain's future lie in Europe? In 1988, long before the prospect of Brexit, the queen spoke about the issue with a German diplomat. A document viewed by DER SPIEGEL shows that she held a very clear view. / Britain's Queen Elizabeth II had to hold back during the Brexit debate, but she was apparently an early believer in the United Kingdom's integration into the European Union.

Diplomatic cables reveal the monarch also appeared to back the creation of a single market. / The Queen confided to the German ambassador that she believed the future of Britain lay in Europe, newly released diplomatic cables from 1988 have shown.