LONDON – A brazen double security breach at Kensington Palace in the days leading up to Christmas has once again thrust royal protection into the spotlight, as a 39-year-old man successfully gained access to the prestigious royal residence on two separate occasions within 48 hours.
International news channels have reported that Derek Egan was arrested on Sunday, 21 December, and again on Tuesday, 23 December, after breaching security at the Palace Green site in Kensington. He has since been charged with trespassing on a protected site under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act and with breaching bail conditions following his first arrest.
The repeat offender appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Christmas Eve and was remanded in custody, highlighting the serious nature of the security violations at the home of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Fortunately for royal security services, the Prince and Princess of Wales were not at their London residence, Apartment 1A within Kensington Palace, during either incident. Sources suggest the couple were staying at their Norfolk retreat, Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham estate at the time.
The family has recently undergone significant residential changes, moving into their “forever home” at Forest Lodge in November 2025. The Grade II-listed eight-bedroom mansion in Windsor Great Park replaced Adelaide Cottage as their primary residence, where they live with their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
This latest incident adds to a concerning history of security failures at royal properties that spans decades. The most infamous breach occurred in July 1982, when Michael Fagan, a 31-year-old unemployed man, not only broke into Buckingham Palace but actually reached Queen Elizabeth II’s bedroom.
Fagan scaled the palace walls and climbed a drainpipe to access the Queen’s private apartments, evading multiple layers of security. He reportedly spent approximately ten minutes chatting with the Queen before palace staff intervened. This was Fagan’s second intrusion into the palace that year – he had previously entered through an unlocked window and wandered the corridors for around half an hour without detection.
But Buckingham Palace has experienced various other security breaches, including a incident in September 2013 when two men were arrested on the grounds.
More recently, in July 2019, a 22 year old man was arrested for scaling the palace gates while Queen Elizabeth II was believed to be inside. Another incident in August 2016 saw a man climb over security fencing, though he was apprehended before reaching the palace itself.
Windsor Castle faced its own security crisis in October 2024, when two masked men broke into the estate using a stolen truck to breach security gates. They scaled a six-foot fence and stole vehicles from Crown Estate land. At the time, Prince William, Kate, and their children were believed to be at nearby Adelaide Cottage, though King Charles and Queen Camilla were not present.
Kensington Palace, once the home of Princess Diana, houses multiple members of the Royal Family and serves as both a working palace and a tourist destination, creating unique security challenges.
Kensington Palace has yet to release an official statement on the incident.
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