Man Who Rushed Queen’s Coffin Wanted To Check She Was Really Dead

The man accused of rushing the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II wanted to check for himself that she was indeed dead, a London court has heard.

Muhammad Khan, 28, allegedly rushed up and grabbed the flag on the Queens casket which laid in London’s Westminster Hall ahead of her state funeral.

Mr Khan was quickly detained, arrested and interviewed by police. Appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday, he was charged with two public order offences.

“The defendant had reached Westminster Hall. He was then seen by officers, who were present, to approach the coffin,” prosecutor Luke Staton told the court.

“He stepped off the carpet in the direction of the catafalque, then grabbed hold of the Royal Standard flag draped over the coffin with both of his hands. The defendant did express the idea that the queen is not dead and that he approached the coffin because he wanted to check for himself.”

Doctors had assessed him as not fit to take part in proceedings while the court heard he was suffering from delusions.

District judge Michael Snow granted Mr Khan bail on condition that he remains in an east London mental health hospital until his next appearance at the same court on 18 October.

“He is delusional still and thinks the queen is not dead, thinks King Charles has something to do with it,” the Judge said.