Because they were “terrified” of asking Prince Andrew, security personnel at Windsor let an unauthorized person enter the Royal Lodge under the guise of the prince’s fiancée.
According to protection specialist Philip Grindell, security personnel were afraid of asking the Duke of York, “Is anybody showing up?” because they did not want to “upset” him.
The trespasser, a Spanish lady in her 40s, allegedly conned her way onto the premises by claiming that she was the prince’s fiancée, going on a date with him, and going by the name Irene Windsor.
Speaking at the annual International Security Expo, which was hosted at Kensington Olympia, Mr. Grindell described Andrew as a “pain in the a**” and a “unpleasant character” for anybody who has dealt with him.
In reference to the intruder, Mr. Grindell said that no one questioned the lady, accepting her story, and let her past the gate because staff did not want to offend the Duke of York by inquiring as to whether he was expecting visitors.
Paul Page, a former royal protection officer who also spoke at the expo, claimed that when he heard staff members were “terrified,” he realized they were in the same predicament as the Prince 20 years earlier, when he was “too afraid to question unidentified female visitors” because the Duke of York would end up “abusing us” for doing so.
Last November, the trespasser was permitted entry to the Royal lodge without showing any identification, and because of her impressive performance, the personnel even paid for her cab.
Before inquiring where she might locate Prince Andrew, who is said to have been at home at the time, the lady took a stroll about the property.
A sharp self-defense key and maps of the Royal lodge and other Royal houses were discovered in her backpack when another staff member saw her and reported her to the police.
She was detained on burglary allegations and afterwards placed in a mental health section.
According to Thames Valley Police, she was freed without being charged.
The founder of the VIP and celebrity protection company Defuse, Mr. Grindell, spent 30 years as a professional investigator and in counter-terrorism security for high-profile events like royal and military.
As a consequence of the Jeffrey Epstein incident, Prince Andrew withdrew from royal activities in 2020, and security was subsequently reduced.
The Royal Lodge’s private protection is paid for by the Privy Purse.