Who Broke Into Buckingham Palace?

Why did the man break into Buckingham Palace

‘I Walked Straight In’: How a Drunk Man Broke into Queen Elizabeth’s Buckingham Palace Bedroom 40 Years Ago

• In one of the most high-profile security breaches in royal history, 31-year-old Michael Fagan managed to scale palace walls and make his way into chambers while she slept the morning of July 9, 1982.
• The infamous break-in, featured in, reportedly followed a night of heavy drinking for the unemployed decorator, motivating him to enter Buckingham Palace, uninvited, through an unlocked window, according to,
• Citing a report by Scotland Yard detailing the incident, the Times reports Fagan first entered a room on the ground floor of the palace on that fateful day.
• Unable to make his way through the rest of the royal home, Fagan reportedly exited the window he came in, and used a drainpipe to shimmy his way to the rooftop, where he eventually accessed the Queen’s bedroom.

“They say she must have been frightened,” Fagan said, according to, “I didn’t frighten her too much, but I was quite shocked,” he said, describing the moment he witnessed the Queen asleep in her bed. “She used a phone on the bedside table to call security, but when nobody came, she got out of bed.” “She said, ‘Just one minute, I’ll get someone,’ swept past me and ran out of the room, her little bare feet running across the floor,” he recalled, per the outlet.

Michael Fagan.R. Brigden/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty During his 1982 court trial, the Queen’s footman Paul Wybrew said Fagan insisted on speaking with her Majesty, according to a report by, at the time. “The man seemed very tense, and I said: ‘Would you like a drink?'” Wybrew recalled. “Immediately, he became more affable and replied: ‘Yes please, I’ll have a scotch.'” Fagan was reportedly met by authorities shortly after.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. During his trial, Fagan described the palace’s security protocols as “weak,” according to the outlet, admitting he broke into Buckingham Palace twice.

1. He eventually showed himself out, according to the outlet.
2. Fagan was acquitted of trespass in the July 1982 incident.
3. Additionally, a jury found him not guilty of burglary in connection with the first break-in, the paper reports.

: ‘I Walked Straight In’: How a Drunk Man Broke into Queen Elizabeth’s Buckingham Palace Bedroom 40 Years Ago

Who was the robber in Buckingham Palace?

Intruder in the Palace: The Morning a Burglar Broke Into the Queen’s Bedroom > > Source: mega Jun.30 2023, Published 7:46 p.m. ET was sitting in a London pub on July 9, 1982, when he boasted to his pals that he could break into bedroom at, His buddies bet him that he wouldn’t get over the palace walls, let alone anywhere near one of the world’s most closely guarded public figures. Source: mega The unemployed painter and decorator, 33, had taken a taxi from his home in Kilburn, North London, to the palace, where he scaled the 20-foot wall totally undetected. He then climbed a drainpipe, apparently shed his sandals and socks on the roof, and crept to the balcony of a bedroom.

Once inside, Fagan wandered around the palace for 15 minutes, even passing multimillion-pound stamp collection, and triggered the alarm twice — but, assuming the warnings were errors, the police turned it off! Amazingly, despite the fact that the palace has more than 50 bedrooms, Fagan found his way to the queen’s quarters without seeing a single soul.

“I was scareder than I’d ever been in my life,” he said later, describing the moment he pulled back the curtains to see Elizabeth staring up at him. Article continues below advertisement Source: mega “Then she speaks, and it’s like the finest glass you can imagine breaking: ‘Wawrt are you doing here?!”” He reportedly told her: “All I want is a kiss.” The monarch discreetly pressed the night alarm bell — but no one came. Unruffled, she then used her bedside telephone to instruct the palace operator to send police to her bedroom; but when six minutes later they still hadn’t arrived, she had to call again. Source: mega The report continued, “They were joined there by the footman, who helped to keep Fagan in the pantry by supplying him with cigarettes until first one and then another police officer arrived and removed him.” Since the intrusion was then considered a civil wrong rather than a criminal offense, Fagan was not charged for trespassing.

1. He spent the next six months in a psychiatric hospital before being released in January 1983.
2. Although the Queen’s husband,, was at Buckingham Palace when the incident occurred, he was not in the monarch’s bed chamber at that moment.
3. The break-in caused a stir at No.10 Downing Street as well.
4. Prime Minister was said to be appalled that the nation’s head of state potentially could have been the victim of a deranged attack or worse.

The late Sovereign garnered praise for maintaining her composure in what was an unthinkable situation for many. She was also lauded the previous summer when a youth fired what were later discovered to be blanks at her and her horse during the ceremony; she didn’t even flinch when the shots rang out and continued on with the procession. Source: mega GET BREAKING ROYAL NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX. : Intruder in the Palace: The Morning a Burglar Broke Into the Queen’s Bedroom

What happened to the man who snuck into Buckingham Palace?

Arrest – Since Fagan’s actions were, at the time, a civil wrong rather than a criminal offence, he was not charged with trespassing in the Queen’s bedroom. He was charged with theft of the wine, but the charges were dropped when he was committed for psychiatric evaluation,

Where is Michael Fagan today?

It was not until 2007, when Buckingham Palace became a ‘designated site’ for the purposes of section 128 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, that trespass at the palace became a criminal offence. Aged 73 in 2022, Michael Fagan is reportedly still living in London.

How did the Queen react to the intruder

The author of the book “Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait” stated the late Queen Elizabeth II was in “good grace” during the last phase of her life. – Agencies A new book has claimed that the late Queen Elizabeth II had jokingly responded to the news of an intruder breaking into the Windsor Castle grounds to kill her. The Queen was in Windsor Castle on Christmas Day in 2021 when security personnel nabbed a masked man who had entered the castle grounds with a crossbow.

As per the book titled “Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait,” when the monarch learned about the intruder, she jokingly said that the suspect might have “put a dampener on Christmas.” The author of the book, Gyles Brandreth, also claimed that the late Queen was battling cancer before she passed away. Mr Brandreth is a friend of Prince Philip,

The biographer noted that although the late Queen’s death was officially listed as old age, she was suffering from myeloma, a rare form of bone cancer. He wrote in the book that he had heard that the Queen was battling with myeloma, due to which she experienced tiredness, weight loss, and “mobility issues” during the last years of her life.

Who was the man stood with the Queen?

At the Platinum Jubilee Trooping the Colour, he stood alongside Queen Elizabeth during her first balcony appearance. – Queen Elizabeth made her first of two balcony appearances at the 2022 parade alongside her cousin, the Duke of Kent. The 96-year-old British monarch received the salute from her troops from the Buckingham Palace balcony. Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Kent at Trooping the Colour in 2022. Chris Jackson // Getty Images

Who was the man stood next to the Queen?

Queen Elizabeth had just one companion with her when she made her first appearance of her Platinum Jubilee weekend : her first cousin Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent. The 96-year-old monarch appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony on Thursday to take the official salute accompanied by the Duke of Kent, who was dressed in his military uniform.

• He also joined the bigger group of working royals when they came out onto the balcony later to watch the flypast by the Royal Air Force.
• The outing also marked the first time the Queen has appeared on the balcony during Trooping the Colour without her beloved husband, Prince Philip, by her side.
• The Duke of Edinburgh died last year at the age of 99.

Queen Elizabeth II and her cousin Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, celebrate her Platinum Jubilee in June, 2022. Chris Jackson/Getty Images The Duke of Kent, 86, is the son of Prince George, the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary and the younger brother of King George VI ( Queen Elizabeth ‘s father).

His mother, Princess Marina, is royalty in her own right — before her marriage, she was Princess of Greece and Denmark. Princess Marina’s mother was Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, a granddaughter of Emperor Alexander II of Russia. For more on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

Prince Edward became the Duke of Kent at age 7, inheriting the title after his father died in a wartime flying accident in 1942. Trooping the Colour 2022. DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images The Duke of Kent served in the armed forces for over two decades.

According to the royal family’s official website, he “is involved with over 140 different charities, organisations and professional bodies which cover a wide range of issues, from commemorating the war dead, to fostering the development of British technology and industry. His Royal Highness undertakes numerous engagements each year in support of these organisations, both in the UK and across the Commonwealth.” Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Kent.

Tim Rooke/Shutterstock Last year, the Duke of Kent was Queen Elizabeth ‘s sole companion at a scaled-down Trooping the Colour event amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It was no surprise the Queen looked to family — if only a single member — the event marked the Queen’s first Trooping the Colour following the death of her husband Prince Philip, who retired from royal duties in 2017 and skipped the public birthday festivities in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

• She has an enormous amount of family support for her and will also take comfort from the enormity of the support from all over the world,” Charles Anson, former press secretary to the Queen, told PEOPLE.
• Queen Elizabeth and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.
• The Duke of Kent is also a regular at Wimbledon, appearing alongside Kate Middleton in recent years.

Last year, he announced that he would be stepping down as President of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club after over 50 years in the position, a role that now belongs to Kate. The Duke of Kent and his wife Katharine, Duchess of Kent live at Wren House in Kensington Palace, which is also the London home of Prince William and Kate with their three children as well as other royals.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Can’t get enough of PEOPLE ‘s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Although Trooping the Colour takes place each year in June to publicly celebrate the Queen’s birthday, this year it serves an extra special purpose: as the kickoff event to the monarch’s Platinum Jubilee festivities, marking the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.

The long weekend of events will continue later with the lighting of around 3,000 beacons across the U.K. — led by the Tree of Trees outside Buckingham Palace — and on Friday with a Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Why did Michael Fagan break into the queen’s room

Why did Fagan break into the palace? – Motivation for Fagan’s break-in is as vague as some of the events of that morning. The unemployed father-of-four variously blamed the influence of alcohol, as well as the magic mushrooms he had put in his soup some five months earlier – the after-effects of which, he claimed, had severely impacted his mental state.

Who tried to grab the queen’s coffin

Man who appeared to grab flag on Queen’s coffin did not believe she was dead, court hears

• A man who appeared to grab the flag draped over the Queen’s coffin planned to trespass at royal residences including Buckingham Palace because he did not believe she was dead, a court has heard.
• Muhammad Khan, 28, allegedly left the queue in Westminster Hall on Friday night while the monarch was lying in state as the live feed briefly cut away.
• Khan was arrested and appeared at Westminster magistrates court on Tuesday, charged with two counts under the Public Order Act.
• Luke Staton, prosecuting, said Khan had been among about 250,000 people who filed through the hall between 5pm on Wednesday and Monday morning to pay their respects after queuing for hours along the banks of the River Thames.

“The defendant had reached Westminster Hall. He was then seen by officers, who were present, to approach the coffin,” Staton said. “He stepped off the carpet in the direction of the catafalque, then grabbed hold of the royal standard flag draped over the coffin with both of his hands.” The court heard Khan was quickly detained, arrested and interviewed by police.

1. The court heard Khan said if he was unsuccessful: “I would have to trespass in order to try and make contact,” and when asked how many times he would try, he replied: “As long as I’m living.”
2. District judge Michael Snow did not question Khan, who was not represented by a lawyer, after doctors had assessed him as not fit to take part in proceedings.
3. The court heard he was experiencing delusions and the judge told him: “At the time when you were in Westminster you didn’t accept that the Queen was dead and that was the reason you were moving towards the coffin to satisfy yourself that she was.”
4. He added: “He is delusional still and thinks the Queen is not dead, thinks King Charles has something to do with it and may go to Windsor Castle to pay his respects but also because he still thinks she is alive.”
5. Khan spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and that he was staying at a friend’s address in Wood Green, north London, during the hearing.
6. The judge granted him bail on condition he remained in an east London mental health hospital until his next appearance at the court on 18 October.

: Man who appeared to grab flag on Queen’s coffin did not believe she was dead, court hears

Who is walking behind the coffin from Buckingham Palace?

King Charles, William and Harry to walk behind Queen’s coffin The King will be joined by his sons the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex as they walk behind the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to where she will lie in state. Charles, William and Harry – along with the Queen’s other children, Duke of York, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex – will follow the coffin on foot as it makes its journey to,

• Anne’s son, Peter Phillips, and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, will also walk in the procession, as well as the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Snowdon.
• The Queen Consort, the Princess of Wales, the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex will travel by car.
• The procession will leave the palace at 2.22pm and is expected to arrive at Westminster Hall at 3pm.

A service lasting about 20 minutes will be led by the archbishop of Canterbury accompanied by the dean of Westminster. William and Harry put on a united front with their wives during a mammoth, The brothers have a well documented troubled relationship but the death of their grandmother saw them reunite when they viewed floral tributes left for the late Queen at Windsor Castle.

1. William, Kate, Harry and Meghan arrived in the same vehicle and greeted well-wishers for about 40 minutes before the Duke of Cambridge and Cornwall hopped into the driver’s seat of the Audi with his wife in the passenger seat, and his brother and sister-in-law in the back.
2. In his televised address to the country on Friday evening, the King talked of his fondness for Harry and Meghan, saying: “I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.” Then in Harry’s tribute to his grandmother, released on Monday, the duke said he wanted to honour his father at the start of his reign as king.

The last time Charles and his two sons were all seen together in public was at the service of thanksgiving for the Queen in St Paul’s Cathedral during the in June. But on that occasion, Harry and Meghan were seated some distance from Charles and William on the other side of the aisle in the second row, behind the Wessex family and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Who collapsed at the royal funeral

Queen’s funeral: Royal guard collapses in front of Queen’s coffin In an unprecedented situation on Friday night, one of the royal guard who was watching over the Queen’s coffin collapsed at Westminster Hall during the first night of lying in state. In a dramatic video which went viral on social media shows a royal guard keeping vigil close to Queen’s final resting place is seen shaking before he swoons and falls flat on the floor with official hurrying to help him.

1. Britain’s state broadcaster BBC, which has been live streaming the visuals halted the broadcast after the collapse and quickly turned outside to the night-time vision of the building.
2. Over an hour later, the broadcast had still not returned to the scene inside the hall.
3. The guards from units which incorporate the Sovereign’s bodyguards, the household Division or Yeoman warders of the tower of London are expected to remain totally still at the four corners of the catafalque.

While the soldiers are at rotation every 20 minutes, the stretches of remaining totally still while standing are six-hours long. They later get a 40 minute break. Royal guards in formal uniform are keeping a consistent, 24-hour vigil around the Sovereign’s final resting place while she lies in state.

The longest serving monarch is currently lying in state for the world to grieve and pay their respects. Her funeral will be conducted on 19th September. Till then common people can come and pay homage to their queen. Outside the Westminster Abbey there are queues stretching for 3miles with people waiting for hours to see a last glimpse of their queen.

“Exciting news! Mint is now on WhatsApp Channels 🚀 Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest financial insights!” Catch all the,, Events and Updates on Live Mint. Download The to get Daily Market Updates. Updated: 15 Sep 2022, 04:06 PM IST : Queen’s funeral: Royal guard collapses in front of Queen’s coffin

Did the astronauts really visit Buckingham Palace?

— As Britain’s longest-serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II’s reign over the United Kingdom spanned the entire history of space exploration, from the launch of the first satellite through the first moon landings to the flight of the first Briton on the International Space Station.

On Thursday (Sept.8), Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96. “As we join the planet in marking her passing, we are moved by the curiosity Her Royal Highness showed our explorers over the years,” NASA officials wrote on Twitter within hours of the news of her death. The U.S. space agency later posted to its website a 2007 photo of the Queen meeting with employees at Goddard Space Flight Center.

Part of a state visit, the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, met with British-born NASA astronaut Michael Foale and spoke with the crew aboard the International Space Station from a control room at the Maryland center. “Good morning Your Majesty and all the distinguished guests at Goddard, thanks for joining us today in our home,” said NASA astronaut Suni Williams, who at the time was a flight engineer on the station’s 15th expedition crew.

The space-to-ground exchange was among a number of times Queen Elizabeth II came into contact with the world’s space programs. ‘Brought (by) man to the moon’ Elizabeth’s first meeting with a space explorer was with the world’s first human to fly into space. Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was received by the Queen during his post-flight world tour on July 14, 1961.

“He was fascinating, and I suppose being the first one, it was particularly fascinating,” she said of Gagarin during a British Science Week event in 2021. Eight years after meeting Gagarin, the Queen met with another first — the first men to walk on the moon.

Apollo 11 crew members Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins visited Buckingham Palace on Oct.15, 1969, three months after Armstrong and Aldrin explored the lunar surface. “God bless Queen Elizabeth, a gracious leader, lady, and our host on return from the moon,” Aldrin wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

“On behalf of the Apollo 11 crew, Godspeed and God bless the Royal Family.” The meeting was not the only connection Elizabeth II had to the first lunar landing. Her words, along with the messages from other world leaders, were etched onto a small silicon disc that was deposited at Tranquility Base.

1. On behalf of the British people I salute the skills and courage which have brought man to the moon.
2. May this endeavour increase the knowledge and well-being of mankind,” the Queen’s message read.
3. First Brits in space In addition to her visit to Goddard, Elizabeth II experienced a simulated space shuttle landing during a 1983 tour of the California plant where the winged orbiters were designed and she toured Mission Control in Houston in 1991.

“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s influence reached all corners of the world, and we are so fortunate that we had the privilege of hosting her visit to Johnson Space Center. We join the planet in honoring her memory,” officials at the center wrote, The Queen’s encounters with space were not limited to other countries’ activities and people.

On several occasions, she met with the first Briton in space, Helen Sharman, whose 1991 trip to Russia’s space station Mir was organized in part by a consortium of British companies. In 2002, the two toured the National Space Centre in Leicester, England. “I have travelled widely, but I hope I will be forgiven for having limited my tour to the Earth’s surface,” the Queen said during her remarks at the museum.

Sixteen years later in 2018, the Queen honored Sharman, making her a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) for her services to science and technology education outreach. Queen Elizabeth II also appointed former Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette as governor general to serve as her representative from 2017 to 2021.

1. Her dignity, sense of duty and resilience were admired around the world,” Payette wrote on Twitter,
2. Rest in peace your Majesty.” Tim Peake, the United Kingdom’s first European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut, also met with and was recognized by the Queen.
3. In 2015, she sent a message to Peake on the eve of his launch.

“Prince Philip and I are pleased to transmit our best wishes to Major Timothy Peake as he joins the International Space Station in orbit,” she wrote. “We hope that Major Peake’s work on the Space Station will serve as an inspiration to a new generation of scientists and engineers.” Later, after he returned to Earth, Peake presented the Queen with the British flag he wore on his spacesuit while performing a spacewalk outside the station.

Did Michael Fagan meet The Queen?

– In the show, Fagan speaks with the, detailing his problems with her leadership. But in actuality, Fagan, who has given a number of different accounts of his encounter with the British monarch over the years, said that was not the case, according to The Telegraph, Writer Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and cocktails. : Is The Crown’s Michael Fagan Plot Accurate? Details They Got Wrong

How accurate is the crown?

The arrival of The Crown ‘s fifth season couldn’t come at a more controversial time. Shortly after the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the ascension of her son Charles to the throne, Netflix has been accused of unleashing unto the masses a show that’s not only insensitive to historical accuracy but also damaging to the monarchy’s reputation.

1. But should viewers even think of the series as a factual piece of work? To keep the long answer short: no.
2. Though The Crown is clearly based on real events involving the monarchy—especially the various scandals and rumors that have embroiled the royal family over the years, from Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s contentious marriage to Prince Philip’s alleged infidelity—the people behind the Emmy Award–winning show have made it clear that it’s also a work of fiction.

Showrunner Peter Morgan previously told The Hollywood Reporter, “I think when you’re doing a drama based on real people, real events, you have to constantly ask yourself where you stand in truth and accuracy, and what the responsibility of that is.” He added that the truth gets even more blurred depending on which perspective from which historian you’re relying on.

“I have to join the dots, and that’s where the act of imagination comes in,” he said. “I think that there’s a covenant of trust with an audience where they think, I’m watching something. But too often I get shocked when people say, ‘Oh! But when that happened,’ and I go, ‘Well, no. Actually, I had to imagine that.'” In past seasons of The Crown, Morgan took creative liberties with history to tell a more compelling story onscreen.

For instance, Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s assistant, Venetia Scott, tragically dies after being struck by a bus in Season 1. But as it turns out, Venetia wasn’t a real person, And in Season 4, Charles and Diana’s first meeting —in which the prince happens upon a teenage Diana who’s dressed in a tree costume for A Midsummer Night’s Dream — was also an invented work of fiction, rather than a reflection of their real-life first encounter. Netflix “There are two sorts of truth. There’s historical truth and then there’s the larger truth about the past,” Robert Lacey, The Crown ‘s historical consultant, told Town and Country, “Peter is very, very insistent, and so am I, that this is not a history documentary.

We’re not pretending this is a chronological record of those years. There are lots of documentaries that do that sort of thing. This is a drama which picks out particular objects.” Season 5 of The Crown delves ever deeper into the drama of Charles and Diana’s divorce, the queen’s infamous “annus horribilis” speech, Diana’s budding romance with Dodi Al Fayed, Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles’s so-called Tampongate, and more.

Undoubtedly, the show will continue to take creative license with any and all of these affairs. To further drive home its lack of commitment to historical accuracy, Netflix released an updated logline for the new season ahead of Season 5’s drop: “Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatisation tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II and the political and personal events that shaped her reign.” Digital Associate Editor As an associate editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Chelsey keeps a finger on the pulse on all things celeb news. She also writes on social movements, connecting with activists leading the fight on workers’ rights, climate justice, and more. Offline, she’s probably spending too much time on TikTok, rewatching Emma (the 2020 version, of course), or buying yet another corset.

Has someone tried to assassinate the Queen

Famous assassination attempts on the British royal family 24/7 Tempo has compiled a list of the most famous assassination attempts against the Brititsh Royal Family, using such sites as,,, as well as various media sources in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the U.S. There have been numerous plots to assassinate members of the Royal Family, but our list focuses on the assassination attempts that were actually carried out.(.) Politics, as expected, played a role in many would-be assassinations.

A man protesting the British treatment of the Irish was behind the 1872 plot against Queen Victoria. In all, eight attempts were made on her life, although only two are highlighted here. The late Queen Elizabeth II reportedly narrowly escapted five potential assassinations, and lived on to become one of In only one instance, did the assassination attempt turn deadly.

In 1979, a bomb planted by IRA terrorists killed Lord Louis Mountbatten, a second cousin to Queen Elizabeth II and great-uncle and mentor to the future King Charles III, while he sailed off the coast of Ireland. (Chris Jackson / Chris Jackson Collection via Getty Images) 1872 Target: Queen Victoria A growing movement toward republicanism, aimed at overturning the monarchy, festered in 1872 when a clerk named Arthur O’Connor managed to evade palace guards to confront Queen Victoria as she returned from a ride around London. He pointed a pistol at the monarch, but was quickly caught. O’Connor later claimed the pistol was broken and that he intended no harm, only wanting to bring to light the plight of Irish prisoners in Britain. ” src=”https://www.baltimoresun.com/resizer/Ayln_hNFCGX3sXprWY9hg4DJ3UA=/1024×0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/QH5Q3KCNGP4AJCUTE7BRJWSTRM.jpg” width=”1024″ height=”0″> > Target: Queen Victoria A growing movement toward republicanism, aimed at overturning the monarchy, festered in 1872 when a clerk named Arthur O’Connor managed to evade palace guards to confront Queen Victoria as she returned from a ride around London. He pointed a pistol at the monarch, but was quickly caught. O’Connor later claimed the pistol was broken and that he intended no harm, only wanting to bring to light the plight of Irish prisoners in Britain. (Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons) 1882 Target: Queen Victoria In all, eight attempts were made on the life of Queen Victoria during her reign. The final one came in 1882 when Roderick Maclean (sometimes referred to as Frederick Maclean) shot wildly at the Queen at Windsor train station. He missed, but was immediately set upon by two Eton schoolboys who fought the assailant off with umbrellas. Afterward, the monarch dryly observed, “It is worth being shot at to see how much one is loved.” ALSO READ: The Most Important Event in the Life of Queen Elizabeth in Every Year of Her Reign ” src=”https://www.baltimoresun.com/resizer/5YaxPW0smzGApU_gEw1M1iIX4UA=/1024×0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/TLTRS2STIOLG44XARNN6RRW3YQ.jpg” width=”1024″ height=”0″> > Target: Queen Victoria In all, eight attempts were made on the life of Queen Victoria during her reign. The final one came in 1882 when Roderick Maclean (sometimes referred to as Frederick Maclean) shot wildly at the Queen at Windsor train station. He missed, but was immediately set upon by two Eton schoolboys who fought the assailant off with umbrellas. Afterward, the monarch dryly observed, “It is worth being shot at to see how much one is loved.” (Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons) 1900 Target: Edward, Prince of Wales King Edward VII had a short reign, ruling only for 10 years after his mother, Queen Victoria, died in 1901. But it could have been much shorter if anarchist Jean-Baptiste Sipido had assassinated the then-Prince of Wales in 1900 at a Belgian railway station. The prince survived being shot in the face and suffered no permanent injury. Sipido said he was protesting the Boer War and Britain’s atrocities against the Boers. He was acquitted based on his young age: 15. Later, he moved to France and was involved in socialist activities, but stayed clear of the law. ” src=”https://www.baltimoresun.com/resizer/GeOKBngDd5nVtrwqsC9usgdqTS0=/1024×0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/M6OEXDZZFLMTNPF2IDKXY3G3RU.jpg” width=”1024″ height=”0″> > Target: Edward, Prince of Wales King Edward VII had a short reign, ruling only for 10 years after his mother, Queen Victoria, died in 1901. But it could have been much shorter if anarchist Jean-Baptiste Sipido had assassinated the then-Prince of Wales in 1900 at a Belgian railway station. The prince survived being shot in the face and suffered no permanent injury. Sipido said he was protesting the Boer War and Britain’s atrocities against the Boers. He was acquitted based on his young age: 15. Later, he moved to France and was involved in socialist activities, but stayed clear of the law. (Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons) 1936 Target: King Edward VIII Now best remembered for giving up the crown to marry divorcée Wallis Simpson, the woman he loved, King Edward VIII was the subject of a failed assassination attempt by Andrew McMahon (a.k.a. Jerome Bannigan) of Ireland. As the king rode through Hyde Park, McMahon pointed a firearm at him, but was quickly overtaken by the crowd. Investigators later concluded McMahon did not intend to kill the monarch. Instead, he was said to be motivated by Nazi idealolgy. Ironically, King Edward VIII was known to be a Nazi sympathizer. ALSO READ: 20 Longest-Reigning Monarchs in History ” src=”https://www.baltimoresun.com/resizer/mCK196k2OwQ64_scw6_49uxpScs=/1024×0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/FVWZBGXUKSAREHFJ2DPSQTTKN4.jpg” width=”1024″ height=”0″> > Target: King Edward VIII Now best remembered for giving up the crown to marry divorcée Wallis Simpson, the woman he loved, King Edward VIII was the subject of a failed assassination attempt by Andrew McMahon (a.k.a. Jerome Bannigan) of Ireland. As the king rode through Hyde Park, McMahon pointed a firearm at him, but was quickly overtaken by the crowd. Investigators later concluded McMahon did not intend to kill the monarch. Instead, he was said to be motivated by Nazi idealolgy. Ironically, King Edward VIII was known to be a Nazi sympathizer. (Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons) 1970 Target: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip A log deliberately rolled onto the tracks could have derailed Queen Elizabeth’s reign in 1970. As she and Prince Philip were traveling via train through the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, Australia, the train struck a log. Luckily, the train was moving at a slow speed, and the conductor managed to stop it in time, avoiding a dangerous derailment. The Australian government was mum on the event for many years, hoping to avoid the embarrassment of an assassination attempt on its soil. ” src=”https://www.baltimoresun.com/resizer/Z452tUWk1x4z92OImlRcmyThX7U=/1024×0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/ETS47IPD47NUMI2QN34ZMEHOTY.jpg” width=”1024″ height=”0″> > Target: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip A log deliberately rolled onto the tracks could have derailed Queen Elizabeth’s reign in 1970. As she and Prince Philip were traveling via train through the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, Australia, the train struck a log. Luckily, the train was moving at a slow speed, and the conductor managed to stop it in time, avoiding a dangerous derailment. The Australian government was mum on the event for many years, hoping to avoid the embarrassment of an assassination attempt on its soil. (Fox Photos / Getty Images) 1979 Target: Lord Louis Mountbatten Perhaps the most devastating royal assassination was the killing of Lord Louis Mountbatten, a second cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and great-uncle and mentor to the future King Charles III. Amid tensions between the English and rebel groups in Northern Ireland, the IRA detonated a bomb hidden on Mountbatten’s fishing boat as he sailed off the Irish coast. “The Troubles” between the British and the IRA lasted until the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. ALSO READ: The Best Movies About the Queen and British Royalty ” src=”https://www.baltimoresun.com/resizer/dz21zRdZtMHMVC9u-XAxNzRELLI=/1024×0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/WQEVLBDCITQL7OEFRECUMZQAIA.jpg” width=”1024″ height=”0″> > Target: Lord Louis Mountbatten Perhaps the most devastating royal assassination was the killing of Lord Louis Mountbatten, a second cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and great-uncle and mentor to the future King Charles III. Amid tensions between the English and rebel groups in Northern Ireland, the IRA detonated a bomb hidden on Mountbatten’s fishing boat as he sailed off the Irish coast. “The Troubles” between the British and the IRA lasted until the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. (Keystone / Hulton Archive via Getty Images) 1981 Target: Queen Elizabeth II 1981 saw two assassination attempts on Queen Elizabeth II. The first occurred during the Trooping of the Colour, an annual parade of soldiers and horses to honor the monarch and the country. During the event, 17-year-old Marcus Sarjeant fired six shots, which turned out to be blanks, at the Queen – who was unharmed and remained remarkably calm. Sarjeant was jailed for five years and released in 1984. His only apparent motive was his interest in the John F. Kennedy and John Lennon assassinations. ” src=”https://www.baltimoresun.com/resizer/0SffzjOsWnwDJw3U4jCaGIEuYQw=/1024×0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/O3XTB4UBKWTYA3JZGVZ24SSLLY.jpg” width=”1024″ height=”0″> > Target: Queen Elizabeth II 1981 saw two assassination attempts on Queen Elizabeth II. The first occurred during the Trooping of the Colour, an annual parade of soldiers and horses to honor the monarch and the country. During the event, 17-year-old Marcus Sarjeant fired six shots, which turned out to be blanks, at the Queen – who was unharmed and remained remarkably calm. Sarjeant was jailed for five years and released in 1984. His only apparent motive was his interest in the John F. Kennedy and John Lennon assassinations. (Simon Dack / Getty Images) 1981 Target: Queen Elizabeth II Months later, on Oct.14, 1981, Queen Elizabeth II was the target of a more serious assassination attempt, this time during a visit to New Zealand. Christopher J. Lewis, then 17, shot at the Queen with a rifle from a building, but missed. Fearful the Royals wouldn’t return to their country if they thought they were being shot at, New Zealand authorities told the monarch a firecracker had gone off. He was sentenced to three years in prison for possession of a firearm after confessing he belonged to a terrorist organization. He later committed suicide in prison. ALSO READ: The Most Famous Poisonings in History ” src=”https://www.baltimoresun.com/resizer/svxLY0IoeIRejApTJwyw3ri9h18=/1024×0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/XKMDVIZJ7WEF7EX2JESVQVZ43U.jpg” width=”1024″ height=”0″> > Target: Queen Elizabeth II Months later, on Oct.14, 1981, Queen Elizabeth II was the target of a more serious assassination attempt, this time during a visit to New Zealand. Christopher J. Lewis, then 17, shot at the Queen with a rifle from a building, but missed. Fearful the Royals wouldn’t return to their country if they thought they were being shot at, New Zealand authorities told the monarch a firecracker had gone off. He was sentenced to three years in prison for possession of a firearm after confessing he belonged to a terrorist organization. He later committed suicide in prison. (Princess Diana Archive / Hulton Royals Collection via Getty Images) 1994 Target: Prince Charles Upset over the treatment of Cambodian asylum seekers in Australia, David Kang, a former university student, jumped on stage where Prince Charles stood during Australia Day festivities. After firing two shots from a starter pistol, Kang was quickly hustled away and the Prince was apparently unfazed. Kang turned his life around and later served as a barrister in Sydney. ” src=”https://www.baltimoresun.com/resizer/upwurxIFmKeCrNNBFfiq1dZhCYk=/1024×0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/CQMXHRSWUB6MRJAELC7X6XGDAU.jpg” width=”1024″ height=”0″> > Target: Prince Charles Upset over the treatment of Cambodian asylum seekers in Australia, David Kang, a former university student, jumped on stage where Prince Charles stood during Australia Day festivities. After firing two shots from a starter pistol, Kang was quickly hustled away and the Prince was apparently unfazed. Kang turned his life around and later served as a barrister in Sydney. (Charles Prince of Wales (CC BY 2.0) by Mark Jones) 2014 > Target: Queen Elizabeth II British authorities foiled an attempt on Queen Elizabeth II’s life by Islamic terrorists in 2014. The four men, aged 19 to 27, planned to stab the monarch during a commemoration of World War I. Despite the threat, the Queen attended the event. (WPA Pool / Getty Images) 2015 > Target: The Royal Family In what could have been the most devastating attack ever on the Royal Family, ISIS militants reportedly devised a plot to kill the Queen and other members during VJ Day 2015 with pressure cooker bombs. In response, British authorities killed ISIS member and plot mastermind Reyaad Khan, a British citizen, along with two other ISIS members, with a drone strike in Syria. (Chris Jackson / Chris Jackson Collection via Getty Images) 2016 > Target: Prince George Even young Prince George became the target of an assassination. In 2016, reports surfaced that Islamic State extremists planned to kill the Prince at his London school. The threats were uncovered on the Telegram, an encrypted messaging service used by extremist groups, with one line saying, “Even the Royal family will not be left alone.” Husnain Rashid, an ISIS sympathizer, was arrested. (Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons) 2021 > Target: Queen Elizabeth II A year before her passing, Queen Elizabeth II survived a very close call. During the Christmas season while the family was staying at Windsor Castle, Jaswant Singh Chail, 20, somehow entered the palace grounds armed with a loaded crossbow. He said he was protesting the Crown’s treatment of Indians, specifically the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Before the attempt, he made videos discussing his plans. He was apprehended just a third of a mile from the Queen’s private residences. (WPA Pool / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images) Originally Published: Apr 28, 2023 at 2:01 pm : Famous assassination attempts on the British royal family

Who was the death threat to the Queen?

British Sikh on trial for death threat to late Queen apologises to King Charles A British Sikh crossbow-armed intruder who has admitted to committing treason after telling royal guards at Windsor Castle on Christmas Day 2021 that he was there to kill Queen Elizabeth II has apologised to King Charles III and the royal family, a UK court heard on Friday.

Jaswant Singh Chail, 21, who claimed he wanted to “assassinate” the late monarch as revenge for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar, according to a social media video that emerged soon after his arrest, has written a letter to express his “distress and sadness”. Justice Nicholas Hilliard has been hearing evidence in the case at the Old Bailey court in London, where he will hand down the sentence early next month.

“He has apologised to the royal family and His Majesty King Charles. He is embarrassed and ashamed he brought such horrific and worrying times to their front door,” Chail’s barrister Nadia Chbat told the court. According to court reports from the hearing this week, Chail’s “strong family unit” includes his father, a software consultant working in aerospace; his mother, a special needs teacher; and his twin sister, a university student.

• Chail was said to be suffering from mental health issues, and the threat to the late Queen was instigated by an artificial intelligence “girlfriend” named Sarai and inspired by his ‘Star Wars’ fascination.
• The prosecution, meanwhile, described it as a serious crime and is seeking the maximum sentence.

Chail appeared in court by video link from the high-security psychiatric hospital Broadmoor in Berkshire. Friday’s hearing follows evidence from psychiatrists about Chail’s mental state as the judge considers whether he should be imprisoned, detained under the UK Mental Health Act or face a mix of the two.

Earlier, the 21-year-old had pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 2 of the Treason Act, 1842; an offence of threats to kill contrary to Section 16 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861; and an offence of possession of an offensive weapon contrary to Section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953.

“He had made a video of himself stating his desire to harm the late Queen, which he sent to a group of contacts shortly before he was arrested. Further enquiries into Chail uncovered further evidence of his planning and motives. Evidence recovered by officers showed that he harboured ill-feeling towards the British empire for its past treatment of Indian people,” a Met Police statement noted.

The Queen, who died in September last year, was in her private apartments at Windsor Castle at the time of Chail’s intrusion on the morning of December 25, 2021. Two officers saw the intruder within the grounds of the Castle, and one approached him. He was wearing black clothing and a handmade metal mask and said to the officers he was there to kill Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Chail was carrying a crossbow loaded with a bolt, and the officers drew their Taser gun and arrested him. The social media video that emerged later showed a masked man identifying himself as Indian Sikh Jaswant Singh Chail and saying he wanted to “assassinate” the Queen as revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919.

Can the Queen do anything about war?

Her Majesty’s Armed Forces – The Queen as Sovereign is Head of the Armed Forces. She is also the wife, mother and grandmother of individuals either having served, or are currently serving, in the Armed Forces. The Queen is the only person to declare war and peace. Members of the Royal Navy have never been required to swear an oath – the service was formed hundreds of years ago and its existence stems from the Sovereign’s prerogative. The Queen takes a keen interest in all the Armed Forces, both in the United Kingdom and in the Commonwealth.

• She undertakes regular visits to Service Establishments and ships, to meet servicemen and women of all ranks, and their families, both at home and overseas.
• The Queen and other members of the Royal Family hold various appointments and honorary ranks in the Armed Forces.
• Such appointments include special relationships with certain ships, and honorary colonels (known as Royal Colonels) in Army regiments and Corps, and honorary ranks connected with Royal Air Force stations.

The Queen meets regularly with the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Single Service Chiefs. Her Majesty also keeps in touch with the work and interests of the Services through her Defence Services Secretary, a serving officer who is also a member of the Royal Household, who acts as the official link.

Throughout history, Kings and Queens have had strong links with the Armed Forces. Armies have defended and attacked territories on behalf of their rulers and have looked to them for guidance and inspiration in times of war and peace since ancient times. The first British Sovereigns were the military commanders, rulers and administrators with the best fighting forces behind them.

Their role was hands on: they were fighters as well as military strategists, and many were present on the battlefield. In 1066 King Harold died on the battlefield: hit by an arrow and then mowed down by the sword of a mounted knight, whilst the soon-to-be new king, William I ‘The Conqueror’ directed his troops.

Over time, rulers have taken part from a safer distance, leaving the day-to-day business of warfare to experienced commanders and involving themselves more in strategic matters rather than risk death in the field. This did not necessarily prevent some of them from being great leaders, motivating their troops as they fought for King or Queen and Country.

In 1588 on the eve of the Spanish Armada, Elizabeth I addressed her troops in a rousing and oft-quoted speech: ‘I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king – and of a King of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which, rather than any dishonour should grow by me, I myself will take up arms – I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field.’ In the centuries since, Monarchs have evolved this ‘general, judge, and rewarder’ into a more politically neutral, motivational one.

Members of the Royal Family are encouraged to serve in the Armed Forces and to develop special relationships to better understand its ongoing work and culture. Today The Queen and the family which supports her have a substantial investment in the Armed Forces as both Head of the Armed Forces, Patrons and members of the Armed Forces themselves.

The last British Sovereign to have seen action in battle was The Queen’s father, George VI. As a 20-year-old Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, he fought in the battle of Jutland in 1916.

Who was at the Queen’s bedside when she died?

Queen died ‘with Charles and Anne ‘ at her bedside as other Royals rushed in vain to be by her side.