Prince William and Kate reportedly slept as masked burglars managed to steal farm vehicles on the Windsor Castle estate in a security breach.
The intruders scaled a 6ft fence and used a stolen truck to smash through a security gate, reports claim.
They made off with a pick-up truck and a quad bike from a barn.
The King and Queen were not present at the time, but the Prince and Princess of Wales were reportedly at their home, Adelaide Cottage, with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
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“They must have been watching Windsor Castle for a while,” source close to the investigation told The Sun.
“They would have to have known the vehicles were stored there before they broke in and known when was the best time to get in and escape without being caught.”
The burglars’ activity went unnoticed until they smashed through the security gate at Shaw Farm – a working farm inside the castle’s security zone.
They must have been watching Windsor Castle for a while.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the current security measures at Windsor Castle.
A source added: “There are alarms at Windsor Castle, but the first time anyone knew there was a break-in was when they crashed through the security barrier at Shaw Farm Gate exit.”
The raid occurred on a Sunday night when it’s believed William, Kate and their kids were in bed at Adelaide Cottage.
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Prince William and Kate moved to Adelaide Cottage in the summer of 2022.
Security around the estate has seen changes in recent years. Armed police were removed from certain key entrance points, including Shaw Farm Gate.
This was due to officer shortages and efforts to create a more welcoming environment for tourists, according to reports.
Armed officers now only guard the main entrance during ceremonial events like Changing of the Guard.
This incident has led to queries over whether these measures are sufficient to ensure the safety of those residing within the estate.
Thames Valley Police confirmed the incident in a statement. “At around 11.45pm on Sunday 13 October, we received a report of burglary at a property on Crown Estate land near to the A308 in Windsor,” they announced.
“Offenders entered a farm building and made off with a black Isuzu pick-up and a red quad bike. They then made off towards the Old Windsor/Datchet area. No arrests have been made at this stage and an investigation is ongoing.”
ED! has contacted reps for Kensington Palace for comment.
This is not the first security scare at Windsor Castle. On Christmas Day 2021, a man carrying a crossbow scaled the fence and claimed that he intended to harm Queen Elizabeth II.
Jaswant Singh Chail was later sentenced to nine years in custody for treason, possession of an offensive weapon, and making threats to kill.
King Charles birthday
Meanwhile, King Charles recently celebrated his 76th birthday.
However, the struggles the monarch faced throughout the past year may have left him with little to celebrate.
In February, Buckingham Palace announced that the King was undergoing treatment for cancer. Only one month later, Kate revealed her cancer diagnosis.
Earlier this month, Queen Camilla herself fell ill with a chest infection.
Read more: Inside one of King Charles’ toughest years yet as he marks 76th birthday
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