ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Nutty Productions The Man Who Broke Into Buckingham Palace TWICE!
Fans of the Netflix show “The Crown” might be surprised to learn that in 1982, a man named Michael Fagan managed to sneak into the heavily guarded Buckingham Palace not once, but twice! This real-life event is even more bizarre than the show’s version. Let’s dive into the story of how Fagan pulled off this incredible stunt.
Early in the morning of July 9, 1982, Queen Elizabeth II woke up to the sound of rustling curtains. To her shock, it wasn’t one of her corgis or a palace servant, but a stranger named Michael Fagan holding a broken piece of a glass ashtray. The Queen was understandably startled and quickly ran to call security.
People were puzzled about how Fagan managed to get past the tight security of Buckingham Palace and reach the Queen’s bedroom. Fagan later revealed that he had drunk a lot of whiskey before climbing over the 14-foot wall surrounding the palace, which was topped with spikes and barbed wire. He then climbed up a drainpipe to the roof, leaving his socks and sandals behind, and entered through an unlocked office window.
Surprisingly, none of this triggered any alarms. The police thought the alarm system was malfunctioning and turned it off. Fagan wandered through the palace corridors until he reached the royal apartments. He broke an ashtray and started bleeding, which didn’t help him look any less threatening when he woke the Queen.
The Queen tried to ring an alarm and called the palace switchboard for help. After six minutes with no response, she called again and found a maid who distracted Fagan with the promise of a cigarette. A footman then offered him a glass of scotch until the police finally arrived.
What’s even more astonishing is that this wasn’t Fagan’s first time inside the palace. About a month earlier, he had climbed the same drainpipe and entered through a maid’s room. The maid reported it, but security dismissed her story, thinking she imagined it.
During his first visit, Fagan wandered around the palace, snacking on cheese and crackers, and compared himself to Goldilocks. He passed rooms labeled for Charles and Diana while looking for a restroom but couldn’t find one. Instead, he found bins of corgi food and relieved himself there. He also drank half a bottle of wine from Prince Charles’s room, which he described as cheap.
After exploring, Fagan got bored and left, finding a door to the gardens and climbing another wall to exit. As for why he broke into Buckingham Palace, even Fagan wasn’t entirely sure, but he thought it might have been related to some mushrooms he had taken.
At the time, Fagan’s intrusion was considered a civil offense, not a criminal one. He was charged with stealing the wine, but those charges were dropped after he was sent for psychiatric evaluation. He was released from the psychiatric hospital after three months and became a notorious figure in Buckingham Palace history.
Do you have a better nickname for the Queen’s mysterious bedroom intruder? Let us know!
Imagine you are Michael Fagan planning his entry into Buckingham Palace. Create a detailed plan of how you would navigate the palace, considering the security measures in place. Present your plan to the class and discuss how you would improve the palace’s security to prevent such intrusions.
Engage in a class debate on the balance between security and privacy. Should places like Buckingham Palace have more stringent security measures, or is there a point where it infringes on personal privacy? Prepare arguments for both sides and participate in the debate.
Write and perform a news report covering Michael Fagan’s intrusions. Include interviews with key figures such as the Queen, palace staff, and Fagan himself. Use this activity to explore different perspectives on the event and its impact on royal security.
As a group, design a modern security system for Buckingham Palace. Consider technology advancements since 1982 and propose solutions to prevent similar incidents. Present your design to the class, highlighting innovative features and their benefits.
Write a short story from Michael Fagan’s perspective during his time inside Buckingham Palace. Focus on his thoughts, feelings, and observations as he wandered through the palace. Share your story with the class and discuss the motivations and consequences of his actions.
Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
Fans of the Netflix period drama “The Crown” were likely surprised to learn that in 1982, a man managed to sneak into the heavily guarded Buckingham Palace and made his way to the Queen’s bedroom. While the two didn’t have the heart-to-heart depicted in the show, the true story of Michael Fagan’s stunt is even more bizarre. Today on Nutty History, we explore the man who successfully trespassed into Buckingham Palace twice.
Early in the morning of July 9, 1982, Queen Elizabeth II awoke to the rustling of a curtain. The culprit wasn’t one of her beloved corgis or any of the many servants who lived and worked in Buckingham Palace, but rather a complete stranger holding a broken piece of a glass ashtray—32-year-old Michael Fagan. Understandably, the Queen was taken aback by her unexpected guest and, according to Fagan, asked him what he was doing there before running in her nightgown and bare feet to phone security.
The puzzling incident left many wondering how a complete stranger managed to breach the security of one of the country’s most heavily guarded estates and make it to the bedroom of the Queen herself. Fagan later claimed he had consumed a significant amount of whiskey before scaling the 14-foot perimeter wall of Buckingham Palace, which was topped with spikes and barbed wire. After that, he climbed up a drainpipe toward the palace roof, where he left his socks and sandals before entering through an unlocked office window.
You might think that all this activity would have triggered an alarm, but the police believed the alarm was malfunctioning and silenced it. After a quick stroll around the palace corridors, Michael made his way to the royal apartments, where he broke the ashtray and started bleeding, which likely didn’t help him appear non-threatening as he woke the Queen from her sleep.
The Queen attempted to ring a palace alarm and called the palace switchboard to send the police. After six minutes passed with no response, she called again and then found a nearby maid who helped distract Fagan with the promise of a cigarette. Next, a footman offered Michael a glass of scotch until the police arrived.
Perhaps the most astonishing part of Michael Fagan’s intrusion is that it wasn’t his first time. About a month earlier, he had climbed the same drainpipe to an open window on the roof, entering through a maid’s room. The maid reported the incident, but security dismissed it, thinking she was just imagining things.
During his first visit, Fagan wandered around, snacking on cheese and crackers, and likened himself to Goldilocks. He passed rooms labeled for Charles and Diana while searching for the restroom but couldn’t find one. Instead, he found several bins of corgi food and decided to relieve himself there. After his bathroom break, he drank half a bottle of wine from Prince Charles’s room, which he described as cheap.
After exploring the palace, Fagan eventually got bored and left, finding a door to the gardens and scaling another wall to exit. As to why he decided to break into Buckingham Palace, even he wasn’t entirely sure, although he speculated it could be related to a large amount of mushrooms he had taken.
At the time, Fagan’s intrusion was considered a civil offense rather than a criminal one. He was charged with theft of the wine, but those charges were dropped after he was committed for psychiatric evaluation. He was released from the psychiatric hospital after three months and went down in history as a notorious figure associated with Buckingham Palace.
Let us know in the comments if you have a better nickname for the Queen’s mysterious bedroom intruder!
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – In history class, we learned about the causes and effects of the American Revolution.
Sociology – The study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society. – Our sociology project involved researching how social media influences teenage behavior.
Palace – A large and impressive building forming the official residence of a ruler, such as a king or queen. – The students visited the ancient palace to learn about the lifestyle of medieval royalty.
Security – Measures taken to ensure the safety and protection of a country, building, or person. – The museum increased its security to protect the valuable historical artifacts on display.
Intrusion – An act of entering a place or situation where one is unwelcome or uninvited. – The historian was concerned about the intrusion of modern technology into the preservation of ancient sites.
Queen – A female monarch or the wife of a king. – Queen Elizabeth I was known for her strong leadership during the Elizabethan era.
Police – The civil force of a state, responsible for maintaining public order and enforcing laws. – The police played a crucial role in ensuring the safety of the public during the historical parade.
Psychiatric – Relating to the study and treatment of mental illness. – The sociology class discussed how psychiatric evaluations have evolved over the past century.
Evaluation – The process of assessing or judging the value or performance of something. – The teacher’s evaluation of the student’s history project highlighted its thorough research and creativity.
Offense – A breach of a law or rule; an illegal act. – In ancient times, stealing was considered a serious offense and was often punished harshly.
