Man charged after breaking into Buckingham Palace

A 21-year-old man has been charged with trespass after climbing a gate to break into Buckingham Palace grounds.

Daniel Sheehan, of no fixed abode, allegedly scaled the south gate of the palace and gained access to the grounds on Friday (7 October).

He was quickly arrested by police officers for trespassing on a designated site and taken for mental health assessment.

He was not in possession of any weapons, according to a Metropolitan Police statement.

It is the third attempt to gain access to the palace this year. In August a 22-year-old man was spotted on CCTV after climbing over a security fence but was stopped "within a security perimeter".

In May, a 41-year-old man was arrested after climbing a wall and spending seven minutes in the palace grounds.

No members of the Royal family are thought to have been in residence at the time of the latest security breach.

The Queen had been taking part in an investiture ceremony at Windsor earlier in the day.

Buckingham Palace has been the focus of a number of incursions over the years, ranging from a naked paraglider landing on the roof to an undercover journalist posing as a footman.

The most notorious was when unemployed decorator Michael Fagan made his way over the walls and up a drainpipe, and wandered into the Queen's bedroom in 1982. She woke to find Fagan sitting on her bed.

The Royals have also been targeted at their other homes. Self-styled comedy terrorist Aaron Barschak gatecrashed Prince William's 21st birthday party at Windsor Castle wearing a pink dress, a false beard and a turban.

Sheehan has been remanded in custody ahead of an appearance at Westminster Magistrate's Court on Monday (10 October 2016).