Security for British royal family was re-examined yet again Tuesday after a man impersonating a police officer gained access to one of their main homes, reportedly wandering almost as far as Queen Elizabeth's bedroom.
The breach is the latest in a series of recent security scares for the royals, which also saw an undercover reporter work as a Buckingham Palace servant and a comedian gatecrash Prince William's 21st birthday party.
The latest intruder was arrested mid-afternoon Monday inside Windsor Castle along with a woman believed to be his girlfriend, a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman told AFP.
At the time, no royals were inside the castle, which is 30 miles (48 kilometre's) west of London and is one of the most frequently used official residences of Queen Elizabeth II and her family.
"The man was believed to have posed as a plain-clothed police officer to gain access to the public areas" of the castle, the Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said.
According to the Daily Mail newspaper, the impostor penetrated several layers of security by pretending he was Detective Superintendent Simon Morgan, a London-based officer currently in charge of a major rape inquiry.
The latest incident comes less than a fortnight after a high-level report recommended better protection for the family, warning that security weaknesses could be exploited by terrorists.
Following the report, army officer Brigadier Jeffrey Cook was appointed as head of royal security, a job which sees him co-ordinate arrangements between the royal household, Home Office and police.