The Urchin Who Lived in a Royal Palace for a Year
That Boy Jones had gotten that close to the queen was bad enough. However, the discovery of just how long he had been in Buckingham Palace was worse: the urchin had lived in the royal residence for a year. In the daytime, he hid behind furniture, or in the chimneys and other spaces in the palace walls. At night, he wandered Buckingham’s halls. When he was hungry, he raided the kitchen, and when he got too dirty, he rinsed his shirt in the wash. During meetings between the queen and her ministers, he sometimes hid under the table and eavesdropped.
Edward Jones’ story became a sensation. When he was sent to the magistrates a few days later, the court session was packed with journalists and other curiosity seekers, eager to find out more about the now-famous Boy Jones. The kid was a lovable tramp, and the fact that he had avoided detection while he lived in the royal palace for so long testified to his intelligence and talent. He was tried for theft and trespass, but after a bonkers trial, filled with laughter and incredulity, the jury acquitted him. The police congratulated him and wished him well – and also, that he would put his undoubted talents to better use. As seen below, he did not.
