Buckingham palace received two unexpected visitors on Sunday when two men climbed onto the roof of the Palace in a protest over fathers' rights. The protesters bypassed security by using a ladder to climb on top of the Queen's Gallery off Buckingham Palace Road, which is part of the estate. They remained there for eight hours.The Queen was at Windsor Castle at the time, after returning from Malta earlier in the week.
Protesters breached security at Buckingham Palace on Sunday
Speaking on the phone from the royal roof, Martin Matthews, 48, said it was "easier to climb on the roof of Buckingham Palace than getting to see one's children these days".The father told the Evening Standard that they had confidently marched up through a "nest" of armed police, put a ladder against the wall, and climbed up as if they were workmen. The pair then unfurled a banner which read: "I am Harry's dad. "The duo are believed to have breached security at the Queen's official residence at around 3.15pm.The demonstration, in which a 33-year-old called Bobby Smith also collaborated, is part of a joint campaign by the groups New Fathers 4 Justice and Stop The War On Dads.
The Queen was at Windsor Castle at the time of the security breach
They have called for equal rights for fathers in divorce and separation proceedings and reform of the family courts.
A third activist, James Dennis from Bishop's Cleeve, Gloucestershire, also attempted to scale the roof but was stopped when security arrived.
Mr Smith, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, stood against David Cameron in the Prime Minister's constituency of Witney, Oxfordshire, in May's General Election, picking up just 37 votes to the PM's 35,201. The activist previously scaled Westminster Abbey on Father's Day.
Fathers 4 Justice have released a statement saying they were not involved with the incident.