Boris Johnson has refused to reveal whether he apologised to the Queen over involving her in his unlawful decision to suspend parliament.

But he continued to challenge the validity of the Supreme Court finding that the five-week prorogation had no legal justification, describing the ruling of 11 of the UK’s most senior judges as “novel and peculiar”.

Downing Street has confirmed that the prime minister spoke by phone to Her Majesty following his humiliating Supreme Court defeat.

But Number 10 sources insisted they did not recognise a claim in the Sunday Times that the PM had personally apologised to the monarch for embarrassing her.

Asked by BBC1’s Andrew Marr whether he had said sorry, Mr Johnson replied: “I am, alas, forbidden from commenting on my conversations with Her Majesty… I’m not going to go into my conversations with Her Majesty.”

Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Show all 16 1 /16 Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful The Supreme Court has ruled against Boris Johnson by declaring his government unlawfully shut down parliament for five weeks EPA Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Lady Hale handed down the historic verdict, hailed by opposition MPs and anti-Brexit campaigners. She said all 11 judges were unanimous in deciding that the case is “justiciable”, so the government loses that part of the argument. “The court is bound to conclude therefore that the decision to advise Her Majesty to prorogue was unlawful because it had the effect of frustrating or preventing the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions.” EPA/Supreme Court Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Gina Miller and her team react outside the Supreme Court are the verdict. She said: “Today is not a win for any individual or cause. It is a win for Parliamentary sovereignty, the separation of powers and independence of our British courts. Crucially, today’s ruling confirms that we are a nation governed by the rule of law, laws that everyone, even the Prime Minister, are subject to." PA Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful A person dressed as a caricature of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a prison uniform stands outside the Supreme Court AP Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for Mr Johnson to “consider his position” following the landmark decision, while Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said he was “not fit to be prime minister” Getty Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Scottish National Party (SNP) Westminster leader Ian Blackford raises his arms as he comes outside. He said: "This is an absolutely stunning judgement by the Supreme Court today." He went on to say, "we all want to get back to work, and quite frankly, on the back of this, Boris Johnson must resign immediately." AFP/Getty Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Crowds outside celebrated the verdict AP Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Delegates at the Labour party conference applaud after hearing the news AFP/Getty Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Speaker John Bercow said MPs must now “convene without delay” and confirmed the Commons would return at 11.30am on Wednesday AFP/Getty Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Gina Miller said: "“As a result of this judgment, Parliament is open, it was never prorogued. I urge MPs to get back to work immediately.” AP Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful MPs Anna Soubry, Liz Saville Roberts and Caroline Lucas, together with SNP leader Ian Blackford, react. Green MP Caroline Lucas has said the Supreme Court’s decision is “just the start” Reuters Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful “The UK deserves a Prime Minister and a Government who act with honesty, integrity and in a manner consistent with our constitution, at all times." AFP/Getty Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Anti-Brexit supporters react as they gather outside the Supreme Court in London, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019 as it makes it's decision on the legality of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's five-week suspension of Parliament. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) Frank Augstein AP Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful The SNP’s Joanna Cherry QC says: “Boris Johnson’s position is untenable and he should have the guts to resign.” PA Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful epa07865617 Protesters react outside the Supreme Court after the result of a hearing on the prorogation of parliament, in London, Britain, 19 September 2019. The Supreme Court ruled that the suspension of parliament by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was not lawful. EPA/NEIL HALL NEIL HALL EPA Supreme Court verdict: Boris Johnson prorogation unlawful Tom Tugendhat MP returned to the chamber in the House of Commons within minutes of the Supreme Court ruling PA

Mr Johnson suggested that there had been a “backlash” against Tuesday’s court ruling, which overturned a previous finding by the High Court that the prorogation was a political decision which did not fall into the remit of the law to decide.

The bombshell decision allowed MPs to return to parliament by nullifying the order issued in the Queen's name suspending sittings for five weeks in the run-up to the scheduled date of Brexit.

“I do think that the judgment was certainly novel and has raised very interesting constitutional questions, and those need to be thought through over quite a long time,” said the prime minister.

“I think that the judgment by the 11 justices was certainly novel and peculiar in the sense that they went against the Master of the Rolls and the Lord Chief Justice in extending the remit of the court into what was, I think, obviously a political question.

“The consequences of that decision are going to be working their way through for quite some time.

“You are now already starting to see a backlash, or people questioning the implications, of that decision.