A MAN who was arrested within the grounds of Windsor Castle on Christmas Day while in possession of a crossbow has been detained under the Mental Health Act.
Officers from Thames Valley Police (TVP) and the Metropolitan Police responded to a security breach on Saturday at around 8.30am within the grounds of the castle in Berkshire where the Queen is in residence.
A 19-year-old man, from Southampton, was arrested on suspicion of breach or trespass of a protected site and possession of an offensive weapon.
The Metropolitan Police said the man was taken into custody and has undergone a mental health assessment.
He has since been sectioned under the Mental Health Act and remains in the care of medical professionals, the force added.
A spokesperson from Scotland Yard said: “Security processes were triggered within moments of the man entering the grounds and he did not enter any buildings.
“Following a search of the man, a crossbow was recovered.”
They added: “Inquiries into the full circumstances of this incident are being progressed by Metropolitan Police specialist operations.”
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman declined to comment.
The Queen spent Christmas Day at Windsor Castle and was expected to have lunch with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
Charles, Camilla, Edward and Sophie, along with their children Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn, attended a church service in St George’s Chapel, in the castle grounds, at 10.45am on Christmas morning.
In May, TVP arrested a 29-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man, both from London, after a report that two trespassers had been in the grounds of the Royal Lodge at Windsor Great Park on the afternoon of April 25.
Police said there was no risk to any individual on the site.
Officers were also called to the Duke of York’s home after a woman reportedly talked her way into his mansion on April 19.
A 43-year-old woman spent 20 minutes in the grounds of Royal Lodge after telling security guards she was having lunch with the Queen’s son, according to the Sun newspaper.
She later made her way into the home and was held after asking a member of staff where she could find the duke, and saying she was his fiancee and had come to marry him, the newspaper reported.
The article claimed the woman had arrived in Windsor in a taxi and had even persuaded the duke’s security guards to pay her fare.
It is not known if Andrew was at the home he shares with his former wife Sarah, Duchess of York.
TVP said the woman was stopped and later sectioned under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act but there was no risk to anyone on the site.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel