Man charged with threatening Queen Elizabeth, possessing a weapon

A man was charged with intending to injure or alarm Queen Elizabeth II following an incident on Christmas Day last year at Windsor Castle, the Metropolitan Police said.

Jaswant Singh Chail, 20, was charged under the Treason Act on Tuesday. He was arrested with a crossbow on the grounds of Windsor Castle, according to the Crown Protection Service.

The charges include making threats to kill, possession of an offensive weapon, and an offense under the 1842 Treason Act. The Treason Act is an offense to assault the queen, or have a firearm or offensive weapon in her presence with intent to injure or alarm her or to cause a breach of peace, according to CPS.

Chail is currently detained and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 17, according to police.

Nick Price, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said the initial arrest of Chail happened on Christmas Day in 2021.

Price said the proceedings against Chail now are “active” and that Chail has “the right to a fair trial.”

“It is extremely important there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings,” Price said in a statement on Tuesday.