Reuters —
London police have announced that more than 20 officers responsible for protecting the royal family have been placed on restricted duty after some officers were accused of falling asleep and leaving their posts at Windsor Castle.
London Police announced that a total of 23 officers from the Crown and Specialist Protection Forces had been issued misconduct notices, with 21 of them on restricted duty. This follows what the force described as an urgent investigation launched last month.
A spokesperson for the force said: “This behavior falls short of the high standards expected of police officers, particularly in front-line protection roles.”
The allegations came to light after The Sun newspaper reported that police officers at Windsor, one of King Charles’s residences, were accused of not only falling asleep on duty but also leaving their posts unattended.
Officers from the specialist police force are responsible for the protection of members of the royal family and the security of royal residences.
The two officers, who are not on restricted duty, will not be deployed to the royal residence while the investigation continues, police said, adding that other royal residences were also being investigated.
Windsor Castle, west of London, is where the King hosted US President Donald Trump last year and is regularly used for both private stays and official events.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
