Details have emerged of a serious security breach that rattled the royal family, with an intruder twice gaining access to Kensington Palace grounds before Christmas.
The man gained unauthorised access to Prince William and Princess Catherine’s London residence on December 21 and 23, sparking major concerns about security protocols at the historic royal property.
Police have since charged a 39-year-old man with two counts of trespassing in connection with the alleged breaches.
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Guards stationed at the palace intercepted the intruder on both occasions before he was able to reach the main residence.
According to The Mirror, the man was allegedly carrying a “heavy rucksack” when he twice breached the grounds of the official London residence.
He was reportedly seen hauling the bag as he climbed over a fence at Kensington Palace two days before Christmas.
Police said the man was able to access the palace gardens on both occasions but was apprehended by specialist royal protection officers from the Metropolitan Police before reaching any buildings.
The incidents have raised serious questions about security measures at Kensington Palace, particularly given the alleged intruder was able to gain access twice within days.
The Prince and Princess of Wales live in Windsor with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, but use the palace’s 20-room Apartment 1A as their London home.
It is understood they were not at the palace at the time of the security scares.
But in the days before, the family were in London preparing for Christmas at Sandringham.
Royal break-ins
The alleged incident is the latest in a series of intrusions at royal properties.
Windsor Castle intrusion
An intruder was taken into custody after entering restricted grounds at Windsor Castle on June 1, 2025.
Thames Valley Police said a man entered the restricted area just after 1pm and was quickly challenged by Metropolitan Police officers before being arrested.
He did not access the inner grounds of the castle.
The Metropolitan Police said the man was arrested on suspicion of trespass on a protected site and possession of Class A drugs, before later being released on bail.
Princess Diana’s childhood home targeted
In May 2025, Princess Diana’s brother Charles Spencer revealed a farmhouse on the Althorp House estate — the childhood home of the late Princess of Wales — was destroyed in a suspected arson attack.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed crews responded to a disused farmhouse that was “fully on fire”, with four fire crews deployed.
No one was inside at the time.
Masked intruders at Windsor
In November 2024, masked thieves broke into Windsor Castle grounds while Prince William and his family slept nearby at Adelaide Cottage.
According to Sky News, two men scaled a fence, used a vehicle to breach a security gate and stole a red quad bike and an Isuzu pick-up truck before fleeing the area.
It was last reported that the investigation remains ongoing.
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