", Sir Brian May believes Freddie Mercury would've been 'honoured long ago' if he were, King Charles III Coronation playlist: Classic songs from The Beatles, Queen, Tom Jones, Smooth's All Time Top 500 with Eamonn Kelly. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. In 1972, he married his wife Christine, with whom he had four children. Two years later I was still coming down. Michael Fagan, 33, had seemingly done the impossible, breaking into Buckingham Palace and finding his way to the monarch's bedroom. As for Fagan, he suffered no criminal charges in connection with the second break-in, as trespassing was a civil law violation in Britain, but not a crime. He was committed to a mental hospital at sentencing, but by the following January a medical tribunal at the hospital determined that he no longer needed to be detained, according to the New York Times. This is the true story about what happened when the Queen met Michael Fagan, and where 72-year-old Fagan is now. Soon after the first break-in, Fagan was arrested for stealing a car, and spent three weeks in prison. Later,Prince Philip and the Queen, who are staying at Windsor, are told about the intruder at the palace. ', He explains: 'I just thought it might be good for you to meet someone normal who can tell it to you as it is.'. Fagan did commit several more crimes later on. [14], The intrusion was adapted in 2012 for an episode of Sky Arts' Playhouse Presents series entitled "Walking the Dogs", a one-off British comedy drama featuring Emma Thompson as the Queen and Eddie Marsan as the intruder. At 6:45 a.m. on July 9, 1982, Fagan climbed over the gates; shimmied up a drainpipe; and, after removing his shoes, walked across a narrow ledge into the Master of the Household's office. It was cheap Californian.. Entering the royal apartments, Michael Fagan "spent ten minutes" in the Queen's bedchamber in the early hours of Friday morning, 9th July 1982 (via The Times front-page, 3th July 1982), after entering at 7.15am and opening the curtains. However, he was acquitted of that charge by a jury in September 1982. While speaking to The Independent, Fagan said that he couldn't find a bathroom, so he "peed on the corgi food." The 1980s saw an intruder break into Buckingham Palace, before chatting to the Queen in her bedroom. (At the time, trespassing was only a civil offense rather than a criminal one.) [16][17] The intrusion also inspired Trinidadian calypso singer Mighty Sparrow to write his ironic song "Phillip My Dear", very loosely based on the event. Moreover, this couple is a co-host of Free Cookies. Fagan tells her he just 'wants to tell her what's going on in the countrybecause either "she doesn't know or doesn't care". According to a 1982 report from Scotland Yard, Fagan "intended to slash his wrists" in front of the Queen. He broke an ashtray, managing to cut his hand. I eventually found a door and walked out into the back gardens, climbed over the wall and walked down the Mall, looking back and thinking 'ooh,'" he told the Independent. Nearly 40 years later, the worst security breach in Buckingham Palace history is revisited in season four, episode five, of The Crown, Fagan. Instead of showing it from the queens perspective, creator Peter Morgan approaches it from the downtrodden eyes of Fagan. I didnt see anybody, all that ducking and diving. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of almost 60 years, Pamela M. Fagan. During his first break inwhere he also got in via drainpipehe found himself in Buckingham Palaces Room 108. Queen Elizabeth is seldom depicted as having heart-to-hearts with the public in The Crown, the rare exception being season 3's wrenching "Aberfan." Nearly a year after the break-in, in 1983, Fagan teamed up with The Bollock Brothers to record a cover of The Sex Pistols classic, God Save the Queen.. According to The Washington Post, Fagan's break-ins didn't come as the result of a whim. Is his rendition a bit too on-the-nose? Mon 24 Sep 2012 02.30 EDT. In an article from 1982, The New York Times reported that Fagan drank a bottle of wine belonging to Prince Charles. The first time was on June 7, 1982 after his wife had left him. He has also participated in World Bowling Tour (WBT) and European Bowling Tour (EBT) events, and as a member of Team USA in international competitions. Reports published immediately after the incident in 1982 fleshed out their conversation topics a bit more: The New York Times, for example, wrote that Fagan and the queen talked about Prince Charles. Finally, the authorities arrived and removed Fagan from the premises. He also had two younger sisters, Marjorie and Elizabeth. including a jail term in 1997 when he was charged alongside his wife and 20-year-old son for conspiring to supply heroin. He attended Compton Street School until the age of 16, when he left home. In the decades following his Buckingham Palace break ins, Fagan was in and out of the spotlight with occasional interviews, as well as other legal trouble, including an arrest for indecent exposure which he described to the Independent as a "misunderstanding.". "Nah! he scoffs at the notion of a long conversation with Her Majesty. He found a bottle of Australian wine in the cabinet and poured himself a drink. Michael Fagan broke into the bedroom of Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 1982. In a Scotland Yard police report from July 1982 (via The New York Times), it notes that Fagan was eventually "charged with burglary" from a prior incident that took place "at the palace on 7 June 1982". (Jonathan Banks/Shutterstock) . After Fagan opened the curtains in her bedroom at around 7:15 a.m., the Queen awoke and pressed the night alarm bell, but the night staff had gone off duty. Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace not once but twice, with the most famed security breach taking place on July 9th 1982, when he came face to face with The Queen himself. Fagan served four years. According to, well, Fagan himself: In a recent interview with The Telegraph, he recounted that they didnt converse for very long at all. Three alarms in total were tripped, but the police turned them off, believing they were faulty. According to The Crown, it takes palace intrusion for the Queen to have an unvarnished conversation with a commoner, and hear about life on the ground. "It was just a moment of madness. 2023 Cond Nast. In September of 1982, he was charged with stealing a bottle of Prince Charles's wine from among a collection of gifts sent by the public in anticipation of the birth of Prince William. ", Curiously, Fagan added: "Everything about it is fiction. Nick Davies. The fourth episode of The Crown's fourth season focuses on the biggest breach in royal security in the 20th century: The day Michael Fagan (played by Tom Brooke), a 32-year-old Irishman living in London, snuck into the Queen's bedroom in Buckingham Palace. During his first. Michael Fagan does claim to have broken into Buckingham Palace twice, as shown on The Crown. Evidently assuming the alerts were a glitch, the police on watch turned the alarms back off. I knew I could break the security system because it was so weak.". He grew up in a loving family in Norwalk and had . They say she must have been frightened. On June 7, 1982, Fagan, whose wife had just left him, climbed through a maid's bedroom window into Buckingham Palace with one mission in mind: to use the restroom. The judge at the time described Fagan's "unusual capacity" for breaking and entering "truly formidable". Fagan tells her: 'You're my last resort, someone who can actually do something.' And how can they make a drama? Fagan was arrested shortly thereafter. [9], It was not until 2007, when Buckingham Palace became a "designated site" for the purposes of section 128 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, that trespass at the palace became a criminal offence. I didnt speak to the Queen. Fagan's first entry into the palace happened in early June 1982. In 2019, Fagan told The Mirror that the Queen left before they could speak: "She went past me and ran out of the room; her little bare feet running across the floor.". However, those reports still don't confirm whether or not Fagan actually sat down on the bed. But I couldn't find a door which said WC, Fagan told The Independent UK. It was a fiction, I wouldn't have a go at the Queen. It was a fiction, I wouldn't have a go at the Queen. and Michael Klein of Creative Artists Agency for broadcasting. Michael Fagan, who gained access to Queen Elizabeth II's bedroom in Buckingham Palace in 1982. Browse our new catalogue to inspire you with homeware, gardening tools, books and more! He attacked a Welsh police officer in 1984, and three years later, he was found guilty of indecent exposure. [3], In early July 1982, Fagan intruded into Buckingham Palace. Merely a month after his acquittal, Fagan appeared in court again on charges of vehicle theft; he was then committed to a maximum security mental institution in Liverpool for three months. Sign up to receive the freshest reviews and recommendations for Streaming & On Demand. The intruder has gone down in historyand become the subject of a new episode of The Crown. In 1972, he married Christine, with whom he had four children (she left him the year of the break-ins, but later came back). He even suggests that the incident may have stemmed from putting too many magic mushrooms in his soup five months prior, saying, "I forgot you're only supposed to take a little handful. He climbed through an unlocked window and into the palaces historic halls, undetected by cameras or security. ', When the Queen tries to reach for the phone, Fagan pulls it from her hand and ask her to 'give him a minute. An out-of-work painter and decorator with convictions for heroin dealing and a number of petty crimes, Fagan was struggling after the breakdown of his marriage - his wife, Christine, had left. 40 years on, where is Michael Fagan now and what happened next? A police report heavily criticised of the officers on duty and the security systems in place. By signing up you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. The show has come under fire for fictionalising history in a way that portrays senior royals including the Queen, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in a negative light. The man himself denies they had an in-depth conversation, but The Crown has turned it into a significant exchange. An unemployed Fagan did break into Buckingham Palace, not once but twice. His wife had just left him, and suffering mental health . She then called the palace telephonist, asking for the police. [1] He stated that he shimmied up a drainpipe and startled a housemaid, who called security. "Immediately he became more affable and replied: 'Yes please, I'll have a scotch.'" Fagan did spend four years in prison after being arrested in 1997 for conspiring to supply heroin with his wife, Christine, and their 20-year-old son. Paul M. Fagan The much loved Paul Michael Fagan, of Danbury and Newtown, passed away peacefully on June 15, 2020. At around 7am on July 9, 1982, Fagan scaled Buckingham Palace's 14-foot-high perimeter wall, which had revolving spikes and barbed wire, and then climbed up a drainpipe before finding his way into the Queen's bedroom at about 7.15am. In interviews, Fagan denied reports from 1982 claiming that he and the monarch had a 10-minute chat. [12] In 1997, he was imprisoned for four years after he, his wife and their 20-year-old son Arran were charged with conspiring to supply heroin.[1]. He was born January 12, 1939 in Norwalk, son of the late Kenneth Fagan and Gretchen (Coenen) Fagan. In 1982, Fagan's father said his son only wanted "to prove how easy it was to get in" to the palace, and not harm the Queen, per The Guardian. Fagan didn't meet the Queen until the second break-in at Buckingham Palace. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. He has stated that his wife. The Crown takes creative license with this telling, imagining a version of events where Fagan and the Queen do, in fact, share a tense but enlightening conversation. The jury deliberated on the case for 14 minutes before acquitting Fagan. This content is imported from vimeo. He was born Nov. 4, 1942, in Riverside, Calif . The pair discuss the state of the building, with Fagan calling it 'rundown', before the conversation turns to politics. Fagan claimed that his famous palace break-in on 9th July 1982 was in reality his second break-in, meaning he managed to sneak into Buckingham Palace not once, but twice within the space of almost exactly a month. The people that wrote The Crown, they've got an agenda. For her to be dragged through the dirt by me isn't nice. An unemployed decorator struggling with mental illness, hes estranged from his wife, his children, and most of all, Thatcherism. The break-in occurred despite "recent security reviews" and then-existing security measures, including more than 20 officers who guarded the palace 24 hours a day; "various security devices, including cameras and sensors"; and high walls topped with barbed wire that surrounded the 51 acre palace grounds. Uninvited visitors, though? Stephanie Linning For Mailonline, The Crown poses a 'major risk' to Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall's popularity by depicting Princess Diana being 'mocked' within the royal family 'like Meghan Markle', Finding Freedom author claims, Prince Harry said he would 'insist' on The Crown ending before it reaches his time and is 'disloyal and rude' for taking money from Netflix which has 'ridiculed' his family, royal biographer claims. I don't think they spent too much on decoration. However, he had disappeared before the guards arrived, who then didn't believe the housemaid's report. (He was acquitted.) The painter-decorator who was experiencing domestic issues with his wife and children did manage to make it into the Queen's bedroom, but rather than having a lengthy conversation, he was only in. They had to take a broad creative license to make their point. One audience member wasn't pleased: Fagan himself. When Fagan visits his local Member of Parliament to complain about Thatchers policies, the MP jokingly encourages him to voice his complaints to the Queen. Michael Fagan's break-in at the palace was, at the time, only a 'civil wrong' rather than a criminal offence. He was charged with burglary after quaffing a bottle of expensive red wine in the palace but was acquitted after a trial at the Old Bailey in September 1982. Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and cocktails. All of it is a complete fiction. [10], Two years after entering Buckingham Palace, Fagan attacked a policeman at a caf in Fishguard, Wales, and was given a three-month suspended sentence. People who have done marvelous things get to kneel in front of her to be honored, Fagan said, but I actually sat on her bed and almost got to talk to her., In a 2012 interview, Fagan was asked if he had a message for the Queen on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee, a national celebration marking her sixty years on the throne. The only person he hurt was himself. Known for his high backswing, he was given the nickname "King of Swing". The Times' lead front-page story on Tuesday 13th July 1982 (titled 'Gaps in palace security thrown up by intruder') revealed that for his second break-in, Fagan climbed into the palace via an unchecked window in the offices of Vice Admiral Sir Peter Ashmore, the Master of the Household. After becoming famous for breaking into the palace, Fagan recorded a cover of the Sex Pistols's version of "God Save the Queen." After consuming about half of the bottle, he told the court, he got tired of waiting and decided to leave. Fagan is pleased with the performance of Tom Brooke, but jokes, Al Pacino would have been better. Yet all these years later, Fagan has no regrets. By The Crown Creator on Diana & Meghan's Royal Exits, Why Princess Anne Might Be the Coolest Royal, You Can Now Stay at the Castle from The Crown, Your Complete Guide to the Bridgerton Family, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, "I was scareder than I'd ever been in my life," Fagan told. Michael Fagan, 70, of north London, described the fifth episode of the new series of The Crown, which features his infamous break-in, as a 'complete fiction' and accused creator Peter Morgan of having his 'own agenda'. In 2012, Emma Thompson starred as the Queen in an episode of Playhouse Presents, a series of one-off dramas, centered entirely around the break-in. A fascinating episode, "Fagan" shows what happens when the rarefied royal world briefly intersects with dire working class realities in 1980s England. The intruder snuck into Buckingham Palace in 1982 and created one of Britain's biggest security scandals. By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. In 1997, Fagan (together with his wife and 20-year-old son) was imprisoned for four years for conspiring to supply heroin. However, there are some biographical details omitted. He then wandered through the palace halls, opening (and drinking) a bottle of wine belonging to Prince Charles. The latest fashion news, beauty coverage, celebrity style, fashion week updates, culture reviews, and videos on Vogue.com. All of it is a complete fiction. The Netflix series dedicates an entire episode to the security breach, with English actor Tom Brooke portraying the infamous prowler. William John Fagan Jr.; son, Brandon Michael Fagan; wife, Misty, and their two children, Patrick and Jacob; and countless colleagues, friend and students who . He attacked a Welsh police officer in 1984. MICHAEL FAGAN OBITUARY. And the isolation. Regina is Latin for "queen.". Buckingham Palace is no stranger to visitors, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. He said that he shimmied up a drainpipe and scared a housemaid, who called security. According to The Crown, Fagan is still living in London, and still thinking of the Queen. The first time was on June 7, 1982 after his wife had left him. Michael Melvin Fagan joined his wife on the morning of Dec. 16, 2021, surrounded by family, and love in the same home she passed 28 years ago. After Fagan sits on the bed, the Queen wakes up with a start and demands that he 'get out'. "[7] He spent the next three months in a psychiatric hospital[8] before being released on 21 January 1983. He was also "barefooted and wearing a t-shirt," according to the BBC. He was then sent to a psychiatric hospital for three months. She went past me and ran out of the room; her little bare feet running across the floor.". The Buckingham Palace dust-up turned Fagan into an unlikely celebrity, rendering him a degree of infamy that he has seemingly relished. The Times detailed that it was only when Fagan asked for a cigarette that the Queen pointed out that there were none in the room, before taking "the opportunity to summon help" by calling a footman. Here's what actually happened then and where Fagan ultimately ended up. Theyve just done it to have a pop at the Queen.'. before going to seek help. He added: Sometimes you have to forsake accuracy, but you must never forsake truth.. "Then she speaks and it's like the finest glass you can imagine breaking: 'Wawrt [sic] are you doing here?!'". Michael Fagan (born 8 August 1948) is a British citizen who intruded into Queen Elizabeth II's bedroom in Buckingham Palace in 1982. The Crown accurately depicts Fagan's path to the Queen's bedroombut fictionalizes what happened after he really got there. The story actually begins about a month before the July incident, when Fagan (whom youll come to see as something of an unreliable narrator) claims he broke into Buckingham Palace for the first time on June 7, 1982, the day his wife left him. Meanwhile a report by the Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Dellow suggested that there had been widespread "complacency" regarding palace security, in addition to only a vague chain of command regarding palace security. [15] In 2020, Tom Brooke played Fagan in the fifth episode of season 4 of The Crown. Fagan is reportedly unhappy about The Crown's portrayal of their exchange. Michael Fagan now With the renewed attention on the incident, Fagan recently spoke to The Telegraph. Maybe it was due a redec?" According to an August 2020 interview with The Sun, researchers from The Crown did not contact Fagan, who is lucky to be alive after recovering from both COVID-19 and a heart attack earlier this year.
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