Intruder arrested for breaching British queen's castle grounds

A man who entered the grounds of Windsor Castle, where Britain's Queen Elizabeth is spending Christmas, has been arrested and is being held on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, police said on Saturday.

The 19-year-old from Southampton in southern England did not enter any buildings and security processes were triggered within moments, local Thames Valley Police said in a statement.

The 95-year-old monarch, who has spent much of the Covid-19 pandemic at Windsor Castle, was celebrating Christmas there with her son Prince Charles, his wife Camilla and other close family.

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"The man has been arrested on suspicion of breach or trespass of a protected site and possession of an offensive weapon," Thames Valley Police Superintendent Rebecca Mears said.

She added that members of the royal family had been informed about the incident, and that police did not believe there was a wider danger to the public.

The incident took place at around 08:30 a.m. (0830 GMT).