This — of course — happened two days after a real intruder was arrested at Buckingham Palace. From BBC:
Armed police pointed their guns at Prince Andrew and ordered him to “put your hands up and get on the ground” after mistaking him for an intruder in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.
For a tense half a minute the Queen’s 53-year-old son was in danger of being shot dead by officers paid to protect him and his family.
An internal inquiry is now being carried out into the extraordinary incident, which took place last Wednesday, after Scotland Yard confirmed Prince Andrew was mistaken for an intruder.
Royal protection officers were said be “jittery” after a genuine intruder had been found in the Palace’s state rooms two days earlier. A suspected accomplice was also arrested in a street outside the Palace.
Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Express, a royal insider said: “Everyone is talking about these two incidents and can’t quite believe what has happened.
“The fact that this guy was able to wander off unchallenged and not be spotted by anyone is bad enough. But then to mistake the Duke for another intruder is almost incomprehensible.
“There is a high turnover of the police on duty at the Palace, but you’d think anyone would know what Prince Andrew looks like.
“It’s fair to say that to describe the Duke as unhappy and the two officers as highly embarrassed is the biggest understatement of the century.”
Prince Andrew said this afternoon he is “grateful” that the police have now apologised.
He said in a statement: “The police have a difficult job to do balancing security for the Royal Family and deterring intruders, and sometimes they get it wrong.
“I am grateful for their apology and look forward to a safe walk in the garden in the future.”
