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Daily Mirror

EXCLUSIVE: King Charles egg attacks 'will happen again' and royals 'vulnerable' warns veteran cop

Protesters threw eggs at the King on two separate visits in recent weeks – now the Firm's protection team warn they won't be the last as they move to ramp up security

Instances of eggs being thrown at the royals by protesters will likely happen again, the former head of the royal protection unit has warned, and show the "vulnerability" of the royals.


Ex-Met Chief Superintendent Dai Davies has spoken out on the vulnerabilities of King Charles and other senior royals after multiple incidents on tours this year.


Eggs were thrown at the King on a visit to York last month as he arrived alongside Queen Consort Camilla to unveil a statue of the late Queen Elizabeth.


The King was shaking hands with the public when they were hurled at him by a member of the crowd, with all of them missing.

A similar incident happened on a walkabout in Luton on December 6, when eggs were thrown at a relatively unfazed King Charles as he greeted crowds.

READ MORE: Urgent King Charles security review with protests feared on Christmas Day

Now former Met Police chief ­superintendent and head of the royal protection unit Mr Davies has said both incidents would likely not be the last.

His comments came as royal security bosses told The Mirror they were stepping up their game this Christmas to protect members of the family, admitting risks could be "far worse" than food being thrown.

The recent protests have prompted an urgent review of all security measures ahead of the family's traditional walk to church on Christmas Day.


Talks have been held to discuss the extra measures as Britain's political climate heats up.

During a visit to Cardiff following the late Queen's death in September, one protester was heard confronting King Charles about royal costs amidst the ongoing cost of living crisis.


The man was heard shouting: “Charles, while we struggle to heat our homes we have to pay for your parade. The taxpayer pays £100million for you, and for what?”

“We must defend the right to peaceful protest," Mr Davies said, "but all officers and their superiors must have a razor sharp focus in the wake of this increase in disturbance.


“There is no magic solution to this pattern of attacks or protests, but intelligence and exit strategies are the most important factor.

"The egg incidents show the ­vulnerability of the royals but it’s happened before and it will happen again.

"The key is to make sure these incidents do not spiral.


"As the IRA famously said after the Grand Hotel bombing, ‘We only have to get lucky once, you have to be lucky all the time.’”

Police and security will be on high alert through Christmas to prevent any further assault attempts.


On Christmas Day last year, one man reportedly managed to break onto the Windsor Castle grounds armed with a crossbow, allegedly claiming he planned to "kill the Queen".

A man - Jaswant Singh Chail - has since been charged under the Treason Act and will stand trial next year.

Both egging incidents meanwhile also culminated in two men being arrested and charged.

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Student Patrick Thelwell, 23, is due before magistrates next month charged over the York incident.

A 28-year-old man was also charged in relating to the Luton incident, although Bedfordshire Police has not released his name.

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