The BBC has published its investigation into the controversy surrounding RDF documentary A Year with the Queen.

The report from Will Wyatt CBE was commissioned in July by BBC director-general Mark Thompson following the use of misleading footage at a BBC One Autumn season press launch, which made it appear as though the Queen had stormed out of a photo shoot.

Describing what happened, the report said that "a fuse was inexcusably lit" when RDF edited footage of the Queen in "a cavalier fashion" for a promotional tape which the company intended to show to co-investors at a sales convention in Cannes earlier in the year. "The edit made it appear that the Queen walked out of photo shoot, when she did not."

The report also shows the series of events that led to the misunderstanding. It asserts that RDF sent the tape with other footage for use in the BBC launch tape without checking it. Then Red Bee Media compiled the launch tape for the BBC, but did not show it to RDF, in spite of being asked several times. The BBC signing-off procedures for the launch tape also did not include it being checked by anyone working on the series.

The idea that the Queen had “stormed off” first emerged in an e-mail from a BBC executive producer reporting a briefing he received from RDF. This note then went to BBC One channel controller Peter Fincham and the RDF executive producer, but the RDF executive producer never challenged it.

The RDF-supplied material in the launch tape appeared to corroborate the claim and Fincham even pointed it out at the event.

The Wyatt report recognised that the BBC was slow to act in containing the aftermath of the story, saying that "those handling the issue were slow to appreciate the magnitude and import of the mistake and consequent press story and failed to involve enough people swiftly enough".

Measures the report recommended to resolve this include conducting an audit of the differing BBC press, publicity and marketing skills to ensure that "the right mix and experience is in place in the content divisions". It also suggested reviewing the level of BBC press support available and how it is brought together in crises.

Director general Mark Thompson said: "I would like to thank Will Wyatt for a thorough investigation and report. I accept his findings and recommendations in full. It is important that the BBC learns all the lessons from this matter and takes steps to ensure that nothing of this kind is repeated"

"Although I take some comfort from Will Wyatt's conclusion that no-one consciously set out to defame or misrepresent the Queen in respect of the BBC's preparation for the BBC One launch, the fact is that serious mistakes were made which put misleading information about the Queen into the public domain. That is why we are determined to take all necessary steps to address the shortcomings set out in this report."

These steps include the directors of the corporation's Vision, audio & music, nations & regions and marketing, communications & audiences divisions appointing a senior executive with specific responsibility for editorial standards and compliance across their output.

David Jordan, controller of editorial policy, has also been redesignated director of editorial policy and standards with immediate effect and will join the BBC Direction Group.