Prince William and Kate Middleton Face Security Scare As Intruder Breaks Into Windsor Castle

On Sunday, June 1, Prince William and Kate Middleton faced a scare when an intruder broke into the grounds of Windsor Castle. The couple, who were allegedly at home with their three children, reside in Adelaide Cottage, located on the Windsor estate. The intruder reportedly entered the grounds near Town Gate, which is just a short distance from the Waleses' home. He has since been arrested on drug-related charges.

As reported by The Mirror, the suspect is said to have climbed over the wall to get into the Castle grounds. The Metropolitan Police, responsible for royal security, quickly detained him and handed him over to the local police. A Met Police spokesperson said, “A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of trespass on a protected site and possession of Class A drugs after entering restricted grounds at Windsor Castle.” Meanwhile, Thames Valley Police said in a statement, “On Sunday, June 1, a man entered restricted grounds at Windsor Castle. He was quickly challenged by the Met police officers and arrested. He did not enter the inner grounds of Windsor Castle.”

Despite the serious offense, The Sun reports that the intruder was released on bail following his arrest. A source dished, “The intruder is believed to have been under the influence of drugs at the time of the break-in…It was a crazy thing to do and caused quite a stir, but at this stage it appears there was no intent to cause any serious harm.” Under the Serious Organized Crime and Police Act of 2005, it is a crime to trespass on a designated protected site such as a nuclear plant or a royal estate.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time William and Middleton have experienced such an invasion of privacy. In October 2024, two masked burglars broke into Windsor Castle by allegedly using a stolen truck to smash their way through the security gate. As per The Sun, the intruders stole farm vehicles, including a quad bike, from the Shaw Farm. An insider told the outlet, “The barrier has needed to be replaced as it was so badly damaged. It was a Sunday night on a school week, so the young Princes and Princess would have been tucked in bed at Adelaide Cottage, just around the corner but still in the grounds.”

One also cannot forget the infamous break-in at Buckingham Palace, which involved the late Queen Elizabeth. On July 9, 1982, Michael Fagan climbed over the Palace fence after a night of drinking. According to Town & Country magazine, he climbed up a drainpipe and onto the roof, making his way into the residential wing of the Palace and to the bedroom of the late Queen. According to Fagan himself, the monarch calmly asked, “What are you doing here?” before summoning security and leaping out of the room. Fagan was ultimately charged with theft and trespassing and spent a short time in a mental hospital before being released.