BBC News Online: UK

'Disturbed' royal visitors worry police

The Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) says police officers who guard royalty must be given psychiatric training to help them deal with such situations.

The warning follows a series of incidents at Royal palaces, the most famous of which was in 1982 when Michael Fagan broke into the Queen's bedroom at Buckingham Palace in central London.

In 1997, the late Princess of Wales was said to be "distraught" after a mystery intruder to Kensington Palace forced a lock at the Orangery, adjacent to her living quarters.

In the same year, an escaped psychiatric patient evaded security to get into the grounds of Buckingham Palace while the Queen was away.

Other Palace intruders in recent years have included a group of lesbian anti-nuclear demonstrators who scaled the walls with ladders, and an American paraglider who landed on the roof as a stunt.

In a report on the Royal Protection Squad published on Wednesday, the HMIC's Colin Smith said the unit had been "very successful", with no "disabling attacks" on any royal figure and very few incursions into palaces.

But he said police were aware of about 60 people, about half of whom came to notice by visiting Buckingham Palace, who could pose a potential threat.

'Most are harmless'

Mr Smith says there has never been any training for protection officers in how to deal with individuals who appear to have a fixation with royalty.

Most of the 6,000 are harmless, said Mr Smith, but officers must make split-second judgements on how to react.

The call for better training for officers was echoed by mental health charities.

Paul Corry of the National Schizophrenic Fellowship, which runs training courses for several police forces, said it was vital Royal Protection officers were well-trained.

He said they must be able to assess immediately who is simply in mental distress, and who is a criminal intent on damage.

Officers need to know how to handle a confrontation without inflaming a "crisis" situation, he said - especially as they are routinely armed.

Delusions of grandeur

The reason for royal family members attracted such attention partly because of their fame, and partly because of their perceived position as the ultimate state authority.

Mr Corry said: "If you've had your benefits stopped or you're feeling persecuted by your local services you tend to appeal to the highest authority in the land."

He said one schizophrenic disorder was delusion of grandeur.

Mr Corry said: "People may stroll into Buckingham Palace believing that they are the Queen or King of England.

"The royal family are public figures and they are in most people's consciousness. The fame of the royal family is immense.

"If doctors are testing somebody who is concussed, they will ask: 'Who is the Queen of England?' rather than 'Who is the Prime Minister?' or 'Who is number one in the pop charts?' - because everyone knows it."

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said they never commented on security matters.

Relevant Stories

Spotting the Royal stalkers (09 Jun 99 | Health)
Sophie 'under guard' after murder (05 May 99 | UK)
Police training 'wastes millions' (23 Apr 99 | UK)

Internet Links

Scotland Yard
HM Inspectorate of Constabulary
The Monarchy
Mind
National Schizophrenia Fellowship

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

In this section

Next steps for peace
Blairs' surprise over baby
Bowled over by Lord's
Beef row 'compromise' under fire
Hamilton 'would sell mother'
Industry misses new trains target
Quins fightback shocks Cardiff (From Sport)
Vodafone takeover battle heats up (From Business)
IRA ceasefire challenge rejected
Thousands celebrate Asian culture
Christie could get two-year ban (From Sport)
Colleagues remember Compo (From Entertainment)
Mother pleads for baby's return
Toys withdrawn in E.coli health scare
Nurses role set to expand (From Health)
Israeli PM's plane in accident
More lottery cash for grassroots
Pro-lifers plan shock launch
Double killer gets life
Cold 'cure' comes one step closer (From Health)
Straw on trial over jury reform (From UK Politics)
Tatchell calls for rights probe into Mugabe
Ex-spy stays out in the cold
Blair warns Livingstone (From UK Politics)
Smear equipment `misses cancers' (From Health)
Boyzone star gets in Christmas spirit (From Entertainment)
Fake bubbly warning
Murder jury hears dead girl's diary
Germ warfare fiasco revealed (From UK Politics)
Blair babe triggers tabloid frenzy
Tourists shot by mistake
A new look for News Online