A suspect was arrested for breaking into Windsor Castle, on the same grounds as where Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their children reside at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Great Park.
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On Tuesday, a Thames Valley Police spokesperson confirmed the news to PEOPLE, stating that the incident took place on Sunday afternoon.
“At just after 1 p.m. on Sunday, a man entered restricted grounds at Windsor Castle,” a spokesperson for the Thames Valley Police told the outlet.
However, the intruder didn’t get very far.
“He was quickly challenged by Met police officers and arrested. He did not enter the inner grounds of Windsor Castle,” they added. “[The suspect] was arrested on suspicion of trespass on a secure site and possession of class A drugs. He has been bailed and an investigation is ongoing by Thames Valley Police.”
“A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of trespass on a protected site and possession of Class A drugs after entering private grounds at Windsor Castle,” the original statement detailed. “Officers in the grounds spotted the man just after 13:00hrs on Sunday, 1 June, and quickly arrested him. He was then passed into the custody of Thames Valley Police.”
The Metropolitan Police manage the security teams that protect the royal family. Trespassing on protected sites like Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, and Kensington Palace is a criminal offense under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, per the BBC.
It’s Unclear if Any Members of the Royal Family were at Windsor Castle During the Break-In
Meanwhile, it’s unclear if any members of the royal family were at the residence during the incident on June 1. Prince William and Kate Middleton live on the Windsor Castle grounds at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Great Park with their children: Prince George (11), Princess Charlotte (10), and Prince Louis (7).
Of course, this isn’t the first break-in at Windsor Castle in recent months.
In November 2024, police reported a similar break-in at Windsor Castle. According to authorities, two masked intruders broke into farm buildings on the Windsor estate on Sunday, Oct. 13, while the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children were believed to be home nearby, The Sun reported.
The burglars were reportedly after farm machinery and used a stolen vehicle to crash through a security gate as they fled.
Windsor Castle, the world’s oldest and largest inhabited castle, was built by William the Conqueror around 1070.