The Queen was not supportive of plans to bring in same-sex marriage, according to reports.

The Daily Mail newspaper cites a “friend” of the monarch, who is reported to have said she could not intervene in the debate.

“I can only advise and warn,” the Queen is quoted as saying.

Though apparently supportive of civil partnerships, she is believed to have been opposed to the marriage rule change on religious grounds.

The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act was introduced in 2013 and lifted the ban on same-sex unions.

The report conflicts with a report last year, recounted by broadcaster Stephen Fry, who told the Jonathan Ross Show that the Queen thought equal marriage was “wonderful”.

He at the time said he did not know whether the story was true, however, as he had heard it second hand.

The Queen is the head of the Church of England, whose leadership is opposed to same sex marriage.

The Marriage Act also includes provisions to ban Anglican churches from conducting same-sex weddings, even where vicars and congregations support them.

In pictures: UK's first gay weddings Show all 16 1 /16 In pictures: UK's first gay weddings In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Lesbian couple Sarah Keith (left) and Emma Powell embrace while posing for photographs after their same-sex wedding at the Claremont Hotel in Brighton Reuters In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sean Adl-Tabatabai, center, and Sinclair Treadway, right, pose for photographers with the openly gay mayor of Camden Jonathan Simpson, left, after they were announced officially married in a wedding ceremony in the Council Chamber at Camden Town Hall in London, Saturday 29 March, 2014 AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Helen Brearley (right) and Teresa Millward pose for photographs after getting married at Halifax Register Office Getty Images In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Gay couple Neil Allard (right) and Andrew Wale are married in the Music Room of Brighton's Royal Pavilion shortly after midnight in one of the UK's first same-sex weddings Getty Images In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sean Adl-Tabatabai, third from left, and Sinclair Treadway, fourth from left, pose for photographs with, from left, the openly gay mayor of Camden Jonathan Simpson, deputy superintendent registrar Steven Lord and registrar officer Tania Uddin AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages A woman waves a rainbow flag as gay couple Peter McGraith and David Cabreza leave Islington Town Hall Getty Images In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages A solitary demonstrator holds a placard in protest against the legalisation of same sex marriage, outside St Margaret's Church, Westminster Abbey, London PA In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sean Adl-Tabatabai and Sinclair Treadway look jovial as they tie the knot in front of around 100 guests AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages The rainbow flag flies above British Cabinet Offices, marking the first day Britain has allowed same sex marriages, in London Reuters In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Lesbian couple Sarah Keith and Emma Powell (left) react after their same-sex wedding at the Claremont Hotel in Brighton Reuters In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages A pair of shoes are pictured on a chair at a place setting during the reception after the same-sex wedding of couple Sarah Keith and Emma Powell in Brighton Reuters In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Camden mayor Jonathan Simpson speaks during the ceremony, which took place just after midnight on Saturday AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sean Adl-Tabatabai looks on as his new husband Sinclair Treadway signs official documents AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sean Adl-Tabatabai and Sinclair Treadway hold hands as they celebrate their marriage AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sean Adl-Tabatabai and Sinclair Treadway toast married life AP In pictures: UK's first gay weddings First gay marriages Sealed with a kiss: Sean Adl-Tabatabai and Sinclair Treadway make it official AP

A poll at the start of this year found that more lay Anglicans now support same sex marriage than oppose it, however.

YouGov found 45 per cent of Anglicans believed equal marriage was right while just 37 per cent believed it was wrong.

That poll was a marked shift from a previous poll three years where 38 per cent were in favour and 47 per cent against.

The public at large are also overwhelmingly supportive of equal marriage, according to the latest polls.

In 2013 around the introduction of the law 54 per cent supported equal marriage, while 37 per cent opposed it.

A spokesman for the Queen told the Daily Mail: “We do not comment on private conversations.”