[swatkat]

>>>> Not to mention placing tapping devices in the Queen's furniture.

They didn't actually placed tapping devices in the Queen's furniture. From the article:

One of his first ideas was to try planting listening devices in the Queen's furniture, he recalls, though he and his bosses realised it was technically unrealistic.

[quirkafleeg]

I think he knows that, but that part you quoted didn't make sense to him, since how would Van Haarlem even be in a position to access the Queen's furniture, merely working down the road from Buckingham Palace?

(At least that's what I thought when reading it anyway.)

[MarcusBrutus]

Yep, obviously.