Confused tourists have been pictured crossing the threshold into Prince Andrew’s estate as a pair of security gates appear to have malfunctioned. The Duke of York currently resides at the Royal Lodge in the Windsor Estate.

It is not known if the prince was at home when the two intruders decided to wander, but photographs from the scene show an enticing gap in the wrought iron gates and no security in sight.

The person who mans the gates is thought to have been in the nearby hut, and it was here when the tourists reportedly attempted to prise them open further to have a look around the grounds of the Royal Lodge.

Pictures also show another man addressing the smiling tourists, who then seem to turn away from the gates before he kneels down and appears to inspect the doorway.

It’s not known how long the members of the public had been left to wander before they were discovered.

The plush 30-bedroom Royal Lodge, in Windsor, is thought to sit on 98 acres of land and has been home to Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, affectionately known as Fergie, for around 20 years.

The estate has seen intruders before, as a “smartly dressed” woman claiming to be the Prince’s fiancee was once found on the grounds by security.

In 2021, a Thames Valley Police confirmed that a woman calling herself “Irene Windsor” gained access to the grounds claiming she was attending a formal dinner.

She claimed she was engaged to the Prince and living on the estate at the time, and security staff reportedly found maps of his home in her handbag.

The woman reportedly proceeded to wander the ground for 20 minutes before she was escorted off the property.

She was allegedly found in possession of a cat-shaped self-defence key ring with two sharp prongs, but there were no reports that she was aggressive or threatened anyone during the incident.

In a statement, Thames Valley Police said a 43-year-old woman was initially arrested for trespassing and later sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

A spokesman for the service said: “Thames Valley Police were called to the Royal Lodge at Windsor Great Park on Monday morning to reports of a female trespasser.

“The woman, aged 43, was intercepted and arrested. She was subsequently de-arrested and has been sectioned under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act.”

The spokesman added that there was not thought to be a “risk to any individual on the site”.