An intruder who broke into Queen Elizabeth II’s bedroom in Buckingham Palace in 1982 has revealed he went to church and lit a candle for the monarch when he heard the news of her death.
Michael Fagan also said he thought that King Charles III will be a good monarch who could heal the rift between rich and poor in Britain.
Fagan, 74, climbed up a drainpipe and broke into the royal palace twice in the same year in the biggest royal security breach of the 20th century.
He claims he first entered the palace in June 1982 after breaking in through an unlocked window and wandered around for around half an hour while eating cheddar cheese and crackers.
At about 7am on 9 July the same year he scaled the royal residence’s 14 foot high wall, topped with revolving spikes and barbed wire, and climbed up a drainpipe before entering the Queen’s bedroom where she was asleep 15 minutes later.
He was tackled to the floor by the Queen’s duty footman after she had fled her room and arrested and charged with stealing some wine but the charges were later dropped.
He was never charged with trespass as it was classed as a civil, rather than criminal, offence at the time.
The palace only became a protected site under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 in 2007.
Speaking outside his council flat in Islington, north London, he was weary of telling the whole tale again but did offer a few insights into how he has coped following the monarch’s sudden death on Thursday.
He said: “I am quite sad that she has gone. I don’t want to say anything more- just that I hope she rests in peace.
“I have no plans to go to the funeral but I have been to church to light a candle for her and hopefully it is all behind me.
“It has all been said so many times.
“I think Charles will do a good job and look after the planet. He will be very good at that.
“There is also too much division between the rich and poor in society and I think Charles will help heal that.”
SWNS
