Intruder Armed with Crossbow Charged After Christmas Incident at Windsor Castle

Jaswant Singh Chail was arrested and taken into custody on Christmas Day at Windsor Castle, where Queen Elizabeth spent the holiday with Prince Charles and Camilla

queen elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth . Photo: toby melville/Getty

An armed intruder who was arrested on the grounds of Windsor Castle on Christmas Day has been charged with offenses including making threats to kill and possession of a weapon.

Following an investigation by the Met Police Counter Terrorism Command, 20-year-old Jaswant Singh Chail from Southampton was charged Tuesday with making threats to kill, possession of an offensive weapon and an offense under section 2 of the Treason Act 1842, according to the Metropolitan Police.

He is currently detained ahead of an appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court on August 17.

Cambridge Gate of Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle. Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty

Officers responded to a security breach around 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 25 at Windsor, where Queen Elizabeth was celebrating the holiday along with members of the royal family, including Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

After the suspect was arrested and taken into custody, officers found a crossbow.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, <a href="https://people.com/tag/prince-charles/" data-inlink="true">Prince Charles</a>, Prince of Wales and <a href="https://people.com/tag/queen-elizabeth/" data-inlink="true">Queen Elizabeth</a> II stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Platinum Pageant on June 5, 2022 in London, England. The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated from June 2 to June 5, 2022, in the UK and Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of <a href="https://people.com/tag/queen-elizabeth/" data-inlink="true">Queen Elizabeth</a> II on 6 February 1952.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty

In April, another security breach at Windsor Castle took place when a man talked his way into the nearby Victoria Barracks. A man dressed as a priest claimed to be a friend of the Coldstream Guards' military chaplain. He was allowed inside without showing identification, where he reportedly spent the evening eating and drinking with senior officers.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said they received a report of an intruder at Victoria Barracks at 9:20 a.m. the following day. The man was removed and "no further action was required," they said.

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Queen Elizabeth, 96, returned from her visit to Sandringham just hours later.

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