The burglars broke into a farm building close to the castle where Prince William and his family live. They were present in their residence at the time of the robbery.
The royal estate of Windsorwhere the castle of the same name is located and where Prince William and his family, was the scene of a burglary whose perpetrators are still at large, according to local police quoted by AFP. The robbery occurred on October 13, shortly before midnight, when several individuals “entered a farm building and stole a black pick-up (…) and a red quad bike”.said the police, confirming a report in the tabloid newspaper The Sun.
While the investigation is ongoing “no arrests have yet been made”.says the police. At the time of the theft, which took place well away from Windsor Castle, the King Charles III was not staying at the residence, but Prince William, his wife Kate and their three children (George, Charlotte and Louis) were expected to be at their home at Adelaide Cottage, a property within the royal estate, says the Sun.
A lack of security?
The Windsor estate has already suffered several intrusions in recent years, including most notably on Christmas Day 2021. A 21-year-old man suffering from psychiatric disorders was arrested near the Queen’s apartments. Elizabeth II armed with a crossbow. He claimed that he had intended to kill the sovereign, who was in the castle at the time. He was sentenced last year to nine years’ imprisonment. The incident raised concerns about the security measures in place to protect the monarch.
As a royal residence, the Windsor estate is under heavy surveillance, particularly in the vicinity of the castle, one of the UK’s most visited sites. Police officers, some of them armed, are on hand to protect the estate.
The day before the burglary on October 13, the Sun reported that the police had withdrawn some of the armed officers initially assigned to Windsor. When contacted, London’s Metropolitan Police, which oversees the department responsible for the protection of VIPs and royal residences, replied that it had no comment to make. “never comment on security arrangements”. relating to protected individuals or sites. These provisions “are constantly reassessed”. according to the level of risk or threat, added the same source.