Armed intruder arrested on grounds of Britain's Windsor Castle, police say

Dec. 25 (UPI) -- An armed intruder was arrested at Windsor Castle west of London on Saturday, where Britain's Queen Elizabeth II was celebrating Christmas with her family, police said.

Thames Valley Police said a 19-year-old man from the British city of Southampton was arrested on the grounds of royal residence carrying an unspecified "offensive weapon."

The arrest came at 8:30 a.m., hours before the queen's annual Christmas Day message aired across the country and worldwide.

The queen and the royal family are spending the holidays at Windsor Castle, located about 20 miles west of London, rather than at their Sandringham family estate in Norfolk due to the surge of COVID-19 cases.

The man was arrested on charges of breach or trespass of a protected site and possession of an offensive weapon, Thames Valley Police Supt. Rebecca Mears said in a statement.

The intruder did not enter any buildings, she said, adding that members of the royal family had been informed of the incident.

"We do not believe there is a wider danger to the public," Mears said.