The King and Queen were rushed to safety during a public engagement on Jersey because a man was seen on a nearby rooftop – hours after a would-be assassin attempted to shoot former US President Donald Trump.
The royals had been out in the open visiting the island capital of St Helier on Monday – the first visit by British monarchs since 2005 – when they were suddenly rushed to a nearby hotel by concerned aides.
Footage captured by the Mail showed Camilla being whisked away as she sampled locally made ice cream.
The reason for the sudden departure, according to reports, is that security staff spotted someone on a roof overlooking the royals, with echoes of Trump’s would-be assassin Matthew Crooks, who shot at the 45th President two days before.
Police then made contact with the suspect, who was subjected to a background check – and the incident was ultimately declared a false alarm.
Queen Camilla was whisked away to safety by security during a visit to Jersey earlier this week
A member of royal security urges the King to keep moving as he is moved to safety
The scare briefly disrupted the King and Queen’s visit to Jersey – the first by the ruling British monarch since 2005 – earlier this week
Donald Trump was the subject of an assassination attempt on Saturday – just two days before the royal visit to Jersey
The shooter was identified as Thomas Crooks, who killed a former fire chief as he took shots at the 45th President
Sources with knowledge of the situation told the Sun the man had been seen on a rooftop overlooking Liberation Square, where the King and Queen had been greeting well-wishers.
Buckingham Palace did not comment officially but it was previously understood there had been a ‘small issue of concern’ among royal aides.
Matt Taylor, founder of Jersey Sea Salt, was speaking to the King at the event when the security alert was triggered.
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Frightening moment Queen Camilla is whisked away from an ice cream van in Jersey amid 'security scare' as she and King Charles are taken to nearby hotel
He said: ‘He stopped at the stall and said “Ooh sea salt” and I said “Come and have a chat, Sir.” Then his security appeared and grabbed me and said “He has to go, now.”‘
The monarch, together with Camilla, later reappeared in public once the all-clear was given.
A royal source quoted in the Mirror said: ‘There was a small issue of concern, an investigation turned out to be a false alarm, every precaution was taken and the programme resumed shortly afterwards.’
But the sighting of an individual on a roof carried echoes of Trump shooter Matthew Crooks, 20, who took pot-shots at the former president during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Trump was struck in the ear and left bloodied while a former fire chief, Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed after being struck by one of the wayward shots.
Crooks was killed seconds later by Secret Service snipers – but questions remain as to why he wasn’t stopped sooner after witnesses spotted him minutes beforehand.
A motive for his actions is also yet to be identified. Crooks was found to have searched online for Trump, 46th President Joe Biden and members of the British royal family, including Catherine, Princess of Wales, before the shooting.
Trump told the Republican National Convention (RNC) yesterday he ‘shouldn’t be here’ as he addressed supporters, many of whom wore patches over their ears in a sign of solidarity.
The RNC came to an end yesterday, with Trump formally confirmed as the Republican presidential nominee.
King Charles had said he was ‘delighted’ to return to Jersey, a ‘beautiful and unique’ island that had held such ‘high regard and affection’ for his late mother.
As the heavens opened, they were greeted with huge cheers as they got out of the state Bentley and immediately sheltered under umbrellas.
The King and the Queen, who wore a blue silk shirt dress by Anna Valentine, were led into the square by a Royal Mace, gifted to the island by Charles II in 1663 in recognition of the island’s loyalty to the Crown.
They walked down a red carpet lined with some 200 locals from the legal profession, Jurats, who act as judges, elected politicians and assorted guests.