Policemen tried to sell Diana Order of Service on eBay

The Order of Service was being offered on the internet auction site within eight hours of last Friday's service in London marking the tenth anniversary of Diana's death.

A friend of Prince William and Prince Harry described the actions of the Scotland Yard officers as "utterly despicable" and expressed the brothers' anger.

"Harry called for his mother to be allowed to rest in peace and a few hours later police officers are trying to profit from her memory," the friend added.

After the officers were given a "slap on the wrist" by their bosses, one senior Scotland Yard source told the Daily Mail: "When you join the force you swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen.

"What they have done is an absolute disgrace to her name and giving them just a slap on the wrist is beyond a joke. They were in this for profit."

The Mail was alerted to the sale on Monday and found that the 12-page booklet for the service in the Guards' Chapel at Wellington Barracks had attracted bids of more than $400 (approximately £200).

A note said it was the "genuine article from within the chapel itself".

Inquiries led to the home in Crawley, West Sussex, of Ross Anders and Damon Goodman, who work as beat constables in Central London.

Anders, 30, and Goodman, who is in his early thirties, have been living together for five years and plan a civil "wedding" in October.

When told he was talking to a reporter he became flustered and changed his story saying: "No, no, no . . . I'm not selling it."

Eight minutes after the meeting the document was withdrawn from the auction site.

Just over 500 orders of service were printed, with a handful kept in case of emergencies.

According to senior royal sources, every copy placed on a seat to be occupied in the chapel was taken home. The spares were taken back to Clarence House.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The matter has been brought to our attention and has been dealt with by senior management within the City of Westminster police today.

"One of the officers involved has received words of advice about his actions and the other officer - who is not on duty - will be spoken to in due course.

"In addition steps will be taken in the form of guidance to officers in the borough of what is expected of them when policing public events."