It was only two weeks ago when Prince Harry told Gayle King that he stopped by Windsor Castle to see the Queen because “I’m just making sure that she’s, you know, protected and got the right people around her.” Everyone on Salt Island had a meltdown, because how dare Harry suggest that the Queen isn’t being properly protected? Nevermind that everyone around the Queen is ableist, nevermind the fact that the Queen is constantly being photographed with noticeable bruises, nevermind the fact that a crossbow-wielding intruder broke into the Windsor Castle complex on Christmas Day. Nevermind the fact that there have been dozens of security breaches in and around Windsor Castle. Speaking of, a dude conned his way into Windsor Castle pretending to be a priest.
An intruder disguised as a priest conned his way inside Windsor Castle on April 26 and even spent the night, leaving just hours before Queen Elizabeth II made her return home.
“[He] said his name was Father Cruise and claimed to be a friend of the battalion’s padre, the Rev. Matt Coles. He was invited in and offered something to eat in the Officers’ Mess,” a source told Britain’s TalkTV. The source explained that within a few hours, the man was “drinking with officers in the bar” and started telling stories about his life, including that he had served in Iraq.
“He was telling lots of tall stories, and the lads were enjoying his banter and having a few drinks,” the source said. “It was only later when he started talking about how he had worked as an ejector-seat test pilot and had some organs replaced that the chaps started to get suspicious.”
Security apparently did not conduct any further investigations into the man, and authorities were not alerted until the next morning, just three hours before the monarch returned to Windsor Castle from her 96th birthday celebration at her Sandringham estate.
“We received a report of an intruder at Victoria Barracks in Sheet Street, Windsor, at 9:20 a.m. on Wednesday [April 27],” a spokesperson for Thames Valley Police confirmed to Harper’s Bazaar. “Officers attended and removed the intruder from the barracks. No further action was required.”
The palace is conducting an investigation into the incident, with guards being questioned and surveillance footage being analyzed. “The Army takes this breach of security extremely seriously, and it will be thoroughly investigated as a matter of priority,” a Ministry of Defence spokesman told the magazine. “This incident is now part of an ongoing investigation, and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
Even if you believe that Harry’s reference was more about the Queen’s personal staff and her executive staff (all of whom are terrible), it’s pretty clear that everything around the Queen is a complete clownshow. Not just her personal staff, not just her office staff, not just her family, but her security too. Windsor Castle is a damn FORT and this dude conned his way in there and no one even reported it until the next day?
And not for nothing, but I’m still fascinated by the fact that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were able to land at Heathrow, travel to Windsor, stay overnight at Frogmore Cottage and walk over to the castle to see the Queen and NO ONE on her staff knew they were there. You can argue that the Queen is still wily and they likely had some help from Princess Eugenie, but I also think that… you know, the Queen really isn’t being protected or looked after in any sense.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.
-
- North America Rights Only – London, UK -20220329- Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey -PICTURED: Queen Elizabeth II -PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
-
- North America Rights Only – London, UK -20220329- Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey -PICTURED: Queen Elizabeth II -PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
-
- Embargoed to 2230 Thursday March 24 Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she arrives to view a display of artefacts from British craftwork company, Halcyon Days, to commemorate the company’s 70th anniversary in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. Picture date: Wednesday March 23, 2022. . The Queen viewed a selection of hand-decorated archive enamelware and fine bone china, including their earliest designs from the 1950s.,Image: 672804669, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
-
- Queen Elizabeth II during an audience with President of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis at Windsor Castle. Picture date: Thursday April 28, 2022.,Image: 686853114, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
-
- Queen Elizabeth II during an audience with President of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis at Windsor Castle. Picture date: Thursday April 28, 2022.,Image: 686853124, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
-
- Queen Elizabeth II during an audience with President of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis at Windsor Castle. Picture date: Thursday April 28, 2022.,Image: 686853133, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
Somehow it seems worse that he conned a bunch of military officers. AND that once they had suspicions, they STILL let him stay the night. What on earth?!
But, yeah, Harry knows what he’s talking about. As always.
The whole monarchy, from QEII on down to Chuck and The Other Brother (and everyone they’re surrounded by) are a bunch of clowns.
IKR? The Coldstream Guards are supposed to be the ones guarding the place and more specifically, guard the monarch! Ineptitude, all the way around.
And I’m guessing they are also the ones who leaked Harry and Meghan’s visit.
Karma is really having fun with this one. A FAKE PRIEST talked his way into the bunks of the queen’s guard!! A FAKE PRIEST!!!!!
Sounds like nothing but the best people around her 😒
But seriously, you can just walk into Windsor Castle, say you’re a friend of so-and-so, and get to drink and spend the night without anyone double checking to see if you’re who you say you are??? You can’t even get into my federal building without someone vouching for you. (like if you say you’re a friend of X, then X has to come down and confirm that.) Here they just let him in!
Sounds like Harry was right.
Maybe the Queen needed some holy water.
Considering some of her family members having any containers of holy water around seems like a recipe for disaster.
My thought is that a lot of stuff went to hell after Charles (and maybe also Andrew? I can’t recall) pushed out TQ’s long time secretary, Christopher Geidt. I think that poweplay is at fault for most of the BP bungling.
It was always my thought that TQ essentially ceded charge to Charles at that time, that he succeeded in pushing Geidt out because TQ let Chuck start to take over her role.
What were seeing is that competence has gone to the wayside with Charles in charge. Charles, Andy, Will…them and their houses are full of fools.
People think Charles is so prepared and will do a good job as King, but IDK. I kinda think it’s obvious that once Betty goes, the whole BRF will become an absolutely incompetent clownshow worse than we’ve yet to see.
Geidt’s exit definitely felt like the beginning of the end in some ways. 2017 was when he left right? At that point some other things were happening too including Philip stepping back from royal engagements which probably also meant a step back from family (and if reports are to be believed, he had a huge hand in how the family was run personally), W&K telling everyone they’re “stepping up” and becoming “full time royals” (even though their engagement numbers are still pretty low) so they probably started getting more involved with family stuff and H&M were getting serious (even engaged by the end of 2017) which meant the family were going to have to deal with a biracial duchess they didn’t want to deal with.
I think all those things happening at the same time along created a power vacuum and no-one can fill it or there’s too many people trying to fill it. Along with the queen declining in health but not dying means everyone’s in a weird phase where the queen isn’t be able to “queen” as well as she could but also isn’t dead so you can’t fully enter the “King Charles” era.
“He was telling lots of tall stories, and the lads were enjoying his banter and having a few drinks,” the source said. “
Sounds very “Catch me if you can”, but concerning from a security point of view.
You would think that the palace would have tightened things up given the most recent intruder late last year.
I also wonder how much the attitudes of the royals and courtiers themselves play a part – I suspect that dropping the right names and having the “right” sort of accent would get you far. And the royals themselves don’t like to be inconvenienced – remember the story of how Andrew threw a fit when someone he had invited was denied immediate entry because they were not on a list?
so the intruder comes to the palace, says he’s a priest, and spends the night getting drunk with the guards?! did the fake priest bring the booze or did the guards supply it? so many questions. tbh this sounds like a bad snl skit.
If I wear a brown jacket could I just say I’m a corgi and the other dogs friend then get to hang out all night!
But really I could t help think…I bet the ‘priest’ was white. They never let a POC in!
Sounds like absolute shit security. Like someone said about, in the US, no one can enter a government building without going through security first. Employees require background checks before getting their ID cards. ID cards have chips to access doors on the outside. And many doors on the inside.
If you don’t work there, you need to have an employee go through security to get you on the list to enter. And even then there are several steps before they let you through. Not to mention you must walk through metal detectors and run your bags through an X-ray scanner.
So how some rando was able to BS his way INSIDE and hang out for HOURS is absolutely appalling.
I’m convinced that this family spends the bare minimum on the upkeep of these historical locations and pockets the rest of their annual budget for personal use and squirrels it away into offshore accounts.
And the best part? The Army is investigating itself because the Met bowed out, ‘nothing more to see here’. Harry’s concerns are real.
They let him stay the night! Nobody thought to call security until the next morning, even though they found his stories “fishy”. It doesn’t sound like anyone did even a nominal check. THESE are the people protecting the queen???
Can you imagine if this was your workplace? I doubt we’ll hear anything more about it cuz it’s so embarrassing.
Embarrassing. I know university buildings with much tighter security than that (need an id card to enter, can get id checked at any time, no friends allowed even if you vouch for them etc etc). Harry probably was talking about family/courtiers but he may have even been talking about her own physical security. Seems pretty lacking.
My son’s school has tighter security! He’s been a student there since he was 3, and he’s 12 now, and I still need to give my driver’s license and get a guest visitor badge with my photo on it if I want to walk into the school during school hours, even though everyone who works there knows me by now. It’s Security for Dummies!
BTW, they’ve started pushing a BS story that it was Harry, not their chaplain, the guy used as an alibi to get in. I actually saw the headline in The Independent, so this wasn’t some random RW tabloid rag either. The level of propaganda and social control the BM/CoE/RF/Downing Street complex employs is terrifying to see, but not surprising if you’re from a former colony where it was most often used to devastating effects.
Yeah, it’s so disheartening to see how easy it is for the royals to control the press. And the ‘monstering’ of certain targets like Megan or refugees or anything that’s not Tory approved.
Doesn’t negate the point, though, right? Actually it would be more worrying if it were Harry’s name used, because at least knowing the name of the battalions padre would be more specific and presumably harder to fake.
But can anyone just rock up to the palace gates and say “Oh, it’s fine, I’m an old friend of Prince Harry?” and be allowed in? That’s even worse, especially because Harry is likely an ocean away – why would a friend of his show up at the palace?
I bet Chuck & Bill have better security than the Queen. Prince Harry was right to be concerned, wasn’t he.
Harry was right.
Harry knows that the Queen doesn’t have the best people around her.
The Palace staff is a mess
I’ve said it a hundred times already. The deep ignorance of the royals is astounding. I’m no monarchist but that old queen deserves so much better. First the knobs let her get Covid and now intruders and who knows what else.
Another poster mentioned that someone on the security team had been fired following the visit by H&M, as punishment. Anyone know anything about that??
On Twitter it was said to be the Head of Security was fired. Hard to know how true. I asked for a source, but got no response.
My first thought was, so that’s how Hard did it! Sorry sorry sorry. Haven’t had my tea & toast yet.
Ugh, can’t even type my bad joke. I meant to write, ‘that’s how Harry did it! Disguised himself as a priest when he & Meg when to visit the Queen’. Sigh.
Harry appears to be the ONLY one concerned about her, her well-being and the motives of those around her. These lapses in security are very troubling. The 2 heirs are too busy jockeying for position/power, smearing M&H, lining their pockets, and honoring the invisible contract so they aren’t paying attention to anything else. They are forgetting she is still their Queen so her wants/needs are supposed to come first. With the exception of Harry, ( and ugh Andrew) the others aren’t even bothering to PRETEND to put her first when not in public. Its sad. No wonder she prefers her Corgis.
This does not surprise me at all. Certain industries have a built in trustworthyness with regards to worker access.
Clergy and nurse uniforms immediately put us at ease. Men in nice suits? Check. People who wear a work uniform? Yep. Heck, as a white, middle age, American woman rideshare driver who looks like everyone’s fave 1st grade teacher (basically ALL the privilege available to rideshare drivers), I am constantly amazed at the places I’m allowed to go just by saying “I’m a Uber/Lyft driver here to deliver/pick up.” Not one single security guard has ever asked to see my app/proof of active ride. They just open the barrier and wave me through.
I’d be willing to bet, one way or another, I could easily gain access to Windsor. Harry is right to be worried about the queen’s safety.
Trustworthiness is the key to opening the door. This is exactly how a reporter gained access to our very secure ICU years back. A clerical collar and a bible. The Queen is not as safe as she thinks.
Once again Harry was right.
It will be interesting to see how Harry and Meghan will be blamed for this
“Penny Knatchbull, please report to Windsor castle for your new house manager/caregiver assignment.”
Right before this came out, I had read a headline that Tina Brown was quoted as calling Harry delusional for being concerned about the queen’s safety. Wrong again, Tina.
I have better security at my condo for guests using the pool. Astoundingly lax, almost uncaring with the last, recent intruder carrying a crossbow!
I am sure all will be fine, once William gets another royal home to be closer to Queen Elizabeth (cue peasant eye roll.)