‘Crossbow’ intruder arrested at Windsor
AN ARMED intruder was arrested yesterday after breaking into the grounds of Windsor Castle as the UK’s Queen Elizabeth prepared to celebrate Christmas with members of the UK royal family.
Sources suggested the man was armed with a crossbow, but police refused to divulge exactly what he was carrying, only that it was an offensive weapon.
It is understood he was spotted on CCTV roaming the gardens at around 8.30am after scaling an outer wall. Armed response teams raced to the scene within minutes.
It is not clear if the intruder got close to the Queen’s private apartments. Police confirmed he did not enter any buildings and quickly ruled out any terrorist motive.
Last night, a 19-year-old man was being held on suspicion of ‘breach or trespass of a protected site’ and possession of an offensive weapon.
Crossbows are often referred to as ‘lethal but legal’ because they require no licence or registration and can be bought on the internet.
Within an hour of the security scare, Queen Elizabeth, who is staying at Windsor instead of Sandringham because of Covid fears, welcomed Prince Charles and Camilla to the castle.
Prince Edward and Sophie arrived soon afterwards with their children. Charles, Edward and their wives were later photographed as they made their way to a service in St George’s Chapel in the grounds of the castle. The Queen missed the service in what is understood to be a personal choice. All the Royals then had lunch together.
A Palace source said: ‘Fortunately the intruder was apprehended and police were on the scene almost immediately but there is a chill in the air over what could have been.’
The break-in came as the 95year-old Monarch reflected on a year of personal grief in a deeply personal Christmas message, her first since Prince Philip’s death. She said his ‘mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.’
Queen Elizabeth also spoke fondly of her son Charles and his wife Camilla and had kind words for her eldest grandson William and his wife Kate.