Queen Elizabeth and her late husband, Prince Philip, had lived in Buckingham Palace for decades. The property serves as the official residence of the monarch, but she moved to Windsor Castle during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a report, the palace was breached twice in five days, and the intruder is facing multiple charges.
Intruder Charged After Breaking Into Queen Elizabeth II's Home
An intruder reportedly broke into Buckingham Palace twice in five days last year. Daniel Brydges, 33, made it into the grounds of the palace on Dec. 18 and Dec. 22 last year, Express reported.
He was charged with trespassing and criminal damage.
Brydges allegedly damaged a barbed wire fence in the Queen's estate near St. James's Park. He appeared at West Magistrate's Court Wednesday and only spoke to confirm his name, address and date of birth. He denied the charges against him and remained on bail on the condition that he does not attend any royal palace or residence.
He is expected to appear in court again on Oct. 12. District judge Briony Clarke said the next court date could be more of a "fact finding" hearing instead of a trial since Brydges' mental health may leave him incapable of submitting a plea.
"You have pleaded not guilty to these matters and there has to be a hearing," Clarke said. "I do not know at this stage whether that will be a trial or an act or omission hearing."
Brydges was warned that if he skipped the next court hearing, he might be sent to prison.
Defense counsel Rajesh Bamm confirmed the defendant's mental health condition. "There is quite a serious mental health background," he said. "I will be commissioning my own psychiatric report for the defendant."
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Other Incidents When Queen Elizabeth's Home Security Was Breached
This year, Connor Attridge, 28, was arrested after trespassing the Queen's residence in London. He entered through the vehicle gate of the Royal Mews when it opened to give way for an authorized vehicle.
Attridge was told to stop, but he refused and managed to breach the boundary by three to five meters. According to him, he just wanted to see the Queen. The security breach happened days before the Platinum Jubilee, according to PA.
The Queen was not at Buckingham Palace as she has been staying at Windsor Castle since 2020. She traveled to Balmoral estate in Scotland for a "short break" at the time of the incident.
However, even Windsor Castle was not safe from intruders. In December, a 19-year-old from Southampton in southern England was arrested for breaching the Windsor Castle grounds where the Queen spent her holidays. The security was triggered before the intruder could enter the building, Reuters reported.
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In April, another security breach in Windsor was reported. The intruder reportedly gained access to the barracks of the royal guard. At the time, the Queen was not in Windsor and traveled to Sandringham estate, where she celebrated her 96th birthday.
"The Army takes this breach of security extremely seriously and it will be thoroughly investigated as a matter of priority. This incident is now part of an ongoing investigation, and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment further at this time," a spokesperson for the British Army told People.
Stay tuned for more news and updates about the royal family.
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