British police arrested a man who was found armed with a weapon, on the grounds of Windsor Castle on Saturday. Thames Valley police reported that the security breach took place at 8:30 a.m. on Christmas Day. The 19-year-old from Southampton is in custody.

“The man has been arrested on suspicion of breach or trespass of a protected site and possession of an offensive weapon. He remains in custody at this time,’’ Thames Valley Police Superintendent Rebecca Mears said. She further added, “We can confirm security processes were triggered within moments of the man entering the grounds and he did not enter any buildings.”

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As an additional precaution, the members of the royal family have been informed.

Notably, Queen Elizabeth II is spending the Christmas holidays this year at Windsor, having decided not to stay at Sandringham, the royal estate in eastern England where she traditionally spends the festive season with family. This year marks the first Christmas without her husband, Prince Philip. 

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Suitably, the 95-year-old monarch mentioned that though this is a time for festive cheer, it can be hard for those who are coping with the loss of loved ones. However, she added that her dear departed husband would want there to be merriment, and though COVID has dampened celebrations in England and all over the world, the queen noted that traditions like singing carols, exchanging gifts, and decorating the tree, can still be observed. 

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With an alarming rise in COVID infections and the detection of the omicron variant, several people have lined up to get their booster shots.  Reportedly, thousands of people across England got a vaccine booster shot for Christmas as new cases in Britain hit another daily record of 122,186. The Good Health Pharmacy in north London was one of dozens of vaccination sites that kept their doors open Saturday to administer “jingle jabs” amid a government push to offer booster shots to all adults by the end of the year.   

[Edited with AP Inputs]