One climbed in through a window and was found hiding under a sofa the Queen had been sitting on hours earlier. He kept coming back. Another walked straight into the monarch's bedroom over a century later.
"The Boy Jones"
Edward Jones, a teenager who became known as "the boy Jones," broke into Buckingham Palace multiple times during the reign of Queen Victoria beginning in 1838, at one point found with items including some of the Queen's clothing. He was arrested and released several times, including a stint found hiding under a sofa in the royal dressing room shortly after Victoria gave birth to her first child, and was later discovered eating food taken from the royal kitchens. After repeated intrusions, British authorities forcibly placed him in Royal Navy service to remove him from the country; he eventually settled in Australia, where he died in 1893.
Michael Fagan
On July 9, 1982, unemployed laborer Michael Fagan climbed a drainpipe into Buckingham Palace and made his way into Queen Elizabeth II's bedroom. The Queen reportedly spoke calmly with him for around ten minutes before using a request from Fagan for a cigarette as an opportunity to call for a footman. An armed officer normally posted outside the royal bedroom had left before a replacement arrived, leaving the area unguarded at the time. Fagan was not prosecuted for trespassing, since at the time such an intrusion would have required the Queen to pursue the matter through civil court rather than criminal charges.
A Change in the Law
Following growing concern about palace security, trespassing on designated secure sites — including 16 royal, governmental, and parliamentary locations — became a specific criminal offense in the UK in 2007.
FAQ
Who was "the boy Jones"?
Edward Jones, a teenager who broke into Buckingham Palace multiple times during Queen Victoria's reign in the 1830s and 1840s.
How did Michael Fagan get into the Queen's bedroom?
He climbed a drainpipe into Buckingham Palace in 1982, at a time when the usual armed guard post outside the royal bedroom was unattended.
Was Michael Fagan charged with a crime?
No. At the time, palace trespassing wasn't a specific criminal offense; that changed with a 2007 law.