A man has been charged after allegedly entering the grounds of Kensington Palace—home to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ London residence—on two occasions in the days leading up to Christmas, according to a statement from the Metropolitan Police.
Authorities said 39-year-old Derek Egan faces charges of trespassing on a protected site and breaching bail conditions. The charges stem from incidents on Sunday, December 21, and Tuesday, December 23, when Egan was arrested on suspicion of trespassing in the Palace Green area of Kensington.
Prince William and Catherine were not at the palace at the time of the alleged incidents. The couple and their children are believed to have been staying at Anmer Hall, their country home on the Sandringham estate, during the school holiday period. Other members of the royal family reside at Kensington Palace.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/royal-family-kensington-palace-010126-1-cff8d9d542ef468fa08734e0cd97d6a5.jpg)
Days later, the Prince and Princess of Wales appeared with their three children at the traditional Christmas Day service at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Norfolk, where members of the royal family attend church and greet the public.
According to The Times, Egan appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, December 30, and admitted the charges. A hearing was scheduled for January 6, when his pleas will be formally confirmed. The judge said the hearing would take place in Egan’s absence due to what the court described as disorderly behavior toward court officers and the court itself.
The judge also declined to grant bail, citing the possibility of a custodial sentence if Egan is convicted.
The Times reported that Egan did not enter the main palace building and was detained on the public side of the grounds after being spotted on security cameras.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(674x298:676x300):format(webp)/royals-2024-christmas-2-111725-d9ff15a8f8e745e7b78e0c1a59a4d9fc.jpg)
Buckingham Palace does not comment on security matters.
The incident follows a separate attempted break-in at Windsor Castle last June. At the time, police said an intruder was quickly confronted by officers and arrested without entering the inner grounds of the castle. It was unclear whether any members of the royal family were present during that incident.
Earlier this year, Prince William and Catherine were living at Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor Castle estate with their children. The family has since relocated to their permanent home, Forest Lodge, located about three miles away.
