Britain's royal protection officers traded hardcore pornography and posed for "comical" photographs on the queen's throne, it has been claimed.

It has also been alleged that they hired firearms while drunk, sold steroids, ran gambling rings and fell asleep while on duty at Buckingham and St. James' palaces.

The claims were made at the trial of former Royal Protection Officer Paul Page, 37, who is accused of conning friends and colleagues out of $4.5 million by setting up a fake company for people to invest in non-existent property developments.

The defendant's lawyer, John Cooper suggested there was a "culture of breaking the rules and stretching the limits" among Royal Protection Officers while cross-examining Sergeant Adam McGregor, who claims to have invested $220,000.

He asked: "Would you consider it serious if a police officer serving in royal protection got access to the thrones of the Queen and Prince Philip, sat on them with their feet up, putting their thumbs up in a comical pose and having their photographs taken? Would that be a bad thing? That's just what you have done, isn't it?"

Sergeant McGregor replied: "I don't recall doing that. I may have sat on one of the thrones, but I don't recall doing any comical poses. We're not talking about criminal damage. Sitting on the Queen's throne is perhaps something to say you've done in your life to tell your grandkids about."

Sergeant McGregor also admitted he had "nodded off" during a shift guarding the Queen but denied officers routinely slept and covered for each other.

Cooper later asked: "Are you aware whether any officers you worked with have been involved with any other illicit, illegal dealings, such as the selling of steroids?"

The officer denied knowledge of this and allegations of officers selling adult material in locker rooms.

The trial continues at Southwark Crown Court.