Windsor Castle© NBC

Masked men break into Windsor Castle: Report

The Wales family are believed to have been at their home nearby at the time of the break-in


NOVEMBER 18, 2024 4:35 PM EST

There was reportedly a security scare at Windsor Castle last month. According to The Sun, two masked men scaled a fence at night to steal farm vehicles, while the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children are said to have slept in their home, Adelaide Cottage, nearby.

The outlet reported that the individuals "used a stolen truck to smash their way through a security gate at the royal estate" and "drove off in a pick-up and on a quad bike that were stored in a barn." The incident happened at Shaw Farm, a working farm located within the castle’s security zone," per 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 and escape without being caught," a source told the outlet. "So they must have been watching Windsor Castle for a while."

“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 source added. “The barrier has needed to be replaced as it was so badly damaged. It was a Sunday night on a school week so the young princes and princess would have been tucked in bed at Adelaide Cottage, just around the corner but still in the grounds.”

King Charles and Queen Camilla are said to have not been in residence at the time. A spokesperson for the Thames Valley Police has said (via The Sun), "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."

"Offenders entered a farm building and made off with a black Izuzu pickup and a red quad bike. They then made off towards the Old Windsor/Datchet area," the spokesperson continued. “No arrests have been made at this stage and an investigation is ongoing.”