Investigation Underway After Burglars Target Windsor Castle Estate While Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Family Nearby.
Authorities are actively investigating a burglary at Windsor Castle estate after two masked intruders unlawfully entered agricultural buildings on October 13, while Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three children were reportedly resting just a short distance away at Adelaide Cottage.
Windsor Castle – 25 April 2024
The suspects who were captured on security cameras, scaled a six-foot fence to access the estate before targeting farm equipment. They stole a black Isuzu pick-up truck and a red quad bike, then used the stolen vehicle to breach a security gate as they fled. The incident occurred at Shaw Farm, a functioning farm on the estate. Sources revealed the intruders may have been familiar with the layout of the property, suggesting they had been watching Windsor Castle for some time before the break-in.
A Thames Valley Police spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating: “At approximately 11:45 PM on Sunday, October 13, we were alerted to a burglary occurring at a property located on Crown Estate land adjacent to the A308 in Windsor. The perpetrators gained access to a farm building and stole a black Isuzu pick-up truck along with a red quad bike. They subsequently fled in the direction of the Old Windsor/Datchet area.” The police confirmed that no arrests have been made, and an investigation is ongoing.
A source close to the investigation shared: “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. 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 barrier has needed to be replaced as it was so badly damaged.”
Kensington Palace has refrained from commenting on the matter, while Buckingham Palace has maintained its usual silence on security issues.
At the time of the break-in, Prince William and Kate, both 42, along with their children—Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6—were believed to be at their residence, which is located just five minutes from Windsor Castle. The burglary occurred late on a Sunday evening, just before the young royals were due to return to school on Monday.
Kate Middleton and Prince William with their children on their first day at Lambrook School, near Ascot, in Sept. 2022.
While the royal couple was at their residence, King Charles and Queen Camilla were not at Windsor Castle during the break-in. Queen Camilla, aged 77, was in India preparing for her upcoming tour of Australia and Samoa, while King Charles, 76, was in Scotland.
In 2022, Prince William and his family relocated to Adelaide Cottage, situated on the Windsor Estate, to be closer to Lambrook School, where their children are enrolled. This move allowed the family to settle into a more private residence within the expansive grounds of Windsor Castle.