9. An Intruder Who Secretly Lived in Buckingham Palace For a Year Before He Was Detected
The soot and grease-covered young man arrested with Her Majesty’s underwear gave his name as Edward Cotton. Subsequent investigation revealed that his real name was Edward Jones, and that he was a fourteen-year-old urchin. He had gotten into Victoria’s bedroom, and along with her panties, had stolen a letter, her portrait, and assorted linens. That he had gotten that close to the queen was bad enough. The discovery of just how long he had been in Buckingham Palace was worse: Edward Jones had secretly 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 got hungry, Jones raided the kitchen, and when he got too dirty, he rinsed his shirt in the wash. On numerous occasions as the queen met with her ministers, the street urchin hid under the table and eavesdropped. Edward Jones’ story became a sensation. When he was sent to the magistrates a few days later, the courtroom 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 for a whole year while he resided in the royal residence testified to his intelligence and talent.
