bitchy | VF: Kensington Palace ‘refuses to comment’ on the Waleses’ security post-break-in

Some people are theorizing that the left-behind Windsors are trying a different kind of PR strategy these days: feel sorry for us, woe is me, bad things keep happening to us, we’re so pitiful. It could be, although I don’t think they even needed the deflection because barely any British outlets covered the Dispatches/Times investigation into the Duchy of Lancaster and Duchy of Cornwall. That investigation revealed Prince William and King Charles’s slumlording and profiteering from public services and charities. Who can talk about that when some nefarious burglars broke into the Royal Windsor estate and made off with some farm equipment though? Apparently, this is the bigger story! And Kensington Palace *refuses* to talk about Prince William and Kate’s safety! From Katie Nicholl at Vanity Fair:

Following a break-in on the grounds of Windsor Castle last month, where Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis reside, Kensington Palace has refused to comment on the family’s security.

On Sunday, The Sun reported that police were on the hunt for two suspects who broke into buildings on the Windsor Castle estate on October 13. It is believed the thieves were targeting farm machinery and used a stolen vehicle to crash through a security gate as they sped off with the stolen items. No arrests have been made, and the investigation continues, a Thames Valley Police spokesman told The Sun.

The theft took place a short distance from Prince William and Princess Kate’s home on the royal estate as the couple and their three children slept. However, it is understood there was no threat to their safety, and the family members have no plans to leave Adelaide Cottage, where they have been living since the summer of 2022.

The Sun described the incident as a “major security scare” for the royal family after two men successfully scaled a six-foot fence and gained access Shaw Farm. A source told The Sun that the suspects “must have been watching Windsor Castle for a while.”

While a security force does not live in Adelaide Cottage, the family is protected 24/7 by close protection officers. The break-in follows news that armed police have been removed from Windsor Castle’s two main public entrances because of a shortage of firearms officers in the Met Police.

[From Vanity Fair]

Other commentators are laying it on thick, claiming that the break-in was “horrific” because William and Kate “are under immense stress due to her health concerns, this is the last thing they need.” Something is really weird about this break-in story, you guys. The fact that no one said anything for more than a month about the break-in, the fact that Kensington Palace won’t even confirm if the Wales fam was actually staying at Adelaide Cottage at the time (it’s all assumptions, they haven’t got anything confirmed), and the fact that KP won’t say anything about the security situation. It’s all so odd. They keep saying that the burglars must have been casing the joint for weeks (all to steal two vehicles??) – is that what they’re really worried about? That the burglars might know more about William and Kate’s movements and living situation than the press knows?

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.