Scary Details Emerge From Break-In At William & Kate's Windsor Castle
As if the Prince and Princess of Wales haven't been through enough this past year, a pair of masked intruders recently broke into the Windsor Castle estate. Here's what we know.
Though we're just hearing about the shocking news now, it turns out that the break-in occurred just before midnight on October 13th. The intruders were able to climb over a six-foot security fence and steal not one but two vehicles — a black Isuzu pickup and a red quad bike. They then used the pickup to ram through the Shaw Farm Gate and escape into the night. The gate, which is apparently used quite frequently by the family when they come and go, is mere minutes from Adelaide Cottage — just one of the gorgeous places William and Kate have called home and where the family was sleeping at the time of the incident. Thankfully, the intruders didn't seem to have anything more nefarious in mind besides grand theft auto.
As of this writing, authorities have yet to make an arrest — nor have Buckingham Palace or Kensington Palace made an official statement.
This isn't the first time someone broke in
Understandably, the break-in has fueled concerns over the apparent lack of security at Windsor Castle. Though there are most definitely armed guards that patrol the area, there obviously aren't enough of them — especially after security officers were previously removed from some of the entrances to the estate. It goes without saying that the royal family will be reassessing things after such a brazen act of thievery was able to occur.
Keep in mind that this actually isn't the first time intruders were able to gain access to the property. You may recall that on Christmas Day in 2021, 23-year-old Jaswant Singh Chail was able to scale the fence with a crossbow before being apprehended by security. He had intended to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II in retribution for the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre that occurred in 1919 — which saw British soldiers fire upon thousands of people in Amritsar, India. Ultimately, he was sentenced to nine years in prison.
This, of course, makes you wonder what the penalty will be for the two newest intruders if they're eventually caught. Though they seemingly didn't have any murderous intentions, it's still quite the crime to break into a royal residence and make off with two vehicles.
Adelaide Cottage has a rich history
As any royal fan knows, Adelaide Cottage is where the Prince and Princess of Wales love to go when they need a break from the rigors of Kensington Palace. It's was especially integral for them after Kate's cancer diagnosis and during her chemotherapy treatment when Kate worked from home at the residence.
Located on 655-acre Windsor Great Park, the cottage is actually a pretty humble abode. With a simple four-bedroom layout and no staff, the family is able to live a much more traditional — and private — life. And they're far from the first royals to take advantage of the serenity. Built way back in 1831, Queen Adelaide, wife of William IV, was the first to use it as a sanctuary. Over the years, many others would do the same — including Queen Victoria, who enjoyed using the cottage as one of her favorite getaways for breakfast and tea. The cottage was also once occupied by an equerry to King George VI, Peter Townsend, who famously had an affair with Princess Margaret.
After this shocking break-in, it looks like Adelaide Cottage's storied history has gotten a little richer. We think we can speak for everyone when we say that, though it was a terrifying occurrence, we're beyond happy that the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children were unharmed during the incident.