Undercover cops pounce on stalker at Prince George’s school after woman, 40, sneaks into the grounds of Thomas’s in Battersea TWICE in 24 hours
A WOMAN was arrested at Prince George’s new school after trying to get in twice within 24 hours.
The intruder, aged 40, was pounced on by undercover cops in a major royal security scare at Thomas’s in Battersea, South West London.
Undercover cops swooped on a woman suspected of stalking Prince George after lying in wait for her at his new school.
Royal protection officers had been alerted when a woman turned up unannounced in the lobby on Tuesday afternoon.
She had fled when challenged by staff before coming back for a second time at 2.15pm.
Scuffles also broke out in the street nearby when police arrived at the school, where four-year-old George started last week.
A 40-year-old woman was still in custody on suspicion of attempted burglary as a major royal security probe was launched.
One source said: “It is being treated as a stalking matter and the woman’s background is being fully investigated.”
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were informed but have decided not to keep their son, four, away from the school.
A royal insider said: “Prince George did attend school yesterday as normal and will continue to attend today.
“At the time of the arrest the reception classes had already left.
“The Duke and Duchess have been made aware.”
A source close to the £20,000-a-year private school said: “The woman managed to get in early afternoon on Tuesday, but when staff questioned who she was she left. Police were called and security was increased. Yesterday at around the same time she came back.
“Fortunately George wasn’t at the school when both incidents happened as he only stays for a half-day, as do all children his age.”
Royal security matters are normally kept top-secret but the Met took the unusual decision to release details of the arrest.
It added: “We are working with the school to review its security arrangements after the incident.”
Eyewitnesses told how the woman seemed "completely unfazed" when cops swooped on her.
One, who was at a nearby restaurant, told Mail Online: "She was just sitting there really quietly with two men in ordinary clothes either side of her. She was completely calm and passive."
Another said: "She seemed very placid, completely unfazed by what was going on.
"A woman officer arrived and searched her and then she stepped into the back of the police van.
"There were several Thomas’s staff wearing name badges who looked very agitated. I saw them being shown some passports or a passport. It made me think the woman could be from overseas."
Nearby residents also told of a disturbance in a nearby street when a police van arrived.
Steve, a local restaurant owner, said: “The police were involved in a scuffle with a man.
“It looked as if they were trying to break up something.”
It comes after local resident Sarah Burnett-Moore, 54, strolled on to school property just days before George arrived for his first day last Thursday.
She shot footage in private corridors and rooms to highlight security flaws and said: “I could have walked in with an IED and set it to go off on Thursday.”
The private school has liaised with the Met’s SO14 Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Command about security issues.
A royal source said they initially hoped it could be kept “low-key”.
But they added: “Clearly, security is now being reviewed but it is hoped that a sensible compromise can be reached.”
Kensington Palace said: “We are aware of the issue but we wouldn’t comment on security matters.”
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