Travellers decamp from the Long Walk at Windsor Castle overnight

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Travellers have decamped from the Long Walk at Windsor Castle overnight after dozens of police and royal officials convinced them to leave the ‘Queen’s front garden’.

The group parked up to 30 caravans and motorhomes outside the famous castle yesterday – widely regarded as the Queen’s favourite royal residence and the one in which she is currently staying.

Last night, officials launched a concerted attempt to shift the travellers – as pictures showed police, council officials and Windsor Park wardens all in discussions with the group.

And their efforts appear to have been a success, with the grounds empty of the Queen’s uninvited neighbours today. 

Two cars were seen parked at the entrance to the grounds, with one marked as a ‘warden’ – in an apparent attempt to put off anyone who might want to return.

Instead, the group moved to nearby Hanover Way in Windsor, locals told MailOnline – with police issuing Code of Conduct notices to those remaining there overnight.

Their rushed dispersal from the iconic castle grounds comes as another traveller group who took over an affluent west London park voluntarily left hours before an eviction notice could be served forcing them to leave. 

The 12 caravans and cars that had first pitched up on Kew Green on Thursday – angering nearby neighbours living in £2million homes – finally left last night.

Legal representatives from Richmond Council have now been granted a three month order banning travellers from returning to the site. 

In Windsor yesterday, vans and motorhomes were parked near signs which state that vehicles are ‘prohibited’, while pictures showed the group blocking off the Long Walk almost entirely.

The 2.6mile track – a popular tourist attraction – connects Windsor Castle with Snow Hill in Windsor Great Park. 

It is still used by the royal carriages every year as part of the route from Windsor Castle to the Ascot Races. 

Prince Andrew was seen driving through the camp in his Range Rover yesterday – seemingly unperturbed by his new neighbours. The Duke of York lives with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, 61, in Royal Lodge on Windsor’s grounds. 

One person who earlier saw the group said they were ‘absolutely stunned’ at how they had parked their vehicles on the Long Walk.

Much of the 2,000 hectare royal estate is open to the public free of charge from dusk until dawn.

While the Queen has spent much of her time at Windsor Castle during the pandemic – including after the death of husband Prince Philip in April – she is believed have left for Balmoral earlier this month to privately mourn the consort’s death.

But she has since returned to the residence. The royal standard – the flag which when flown indicates that the Queen is present – was yesterday seen flying above the Berkshire castle.

And while at Windsor on Tuesday, the monarch took part at a virtual audience at Buckingham Palace to receive His Excellency Dr Zalmai Rassoul, Ambassador from Afghanistan.

A council spokesman said there was no damage to the green and rubbish left behind had been removed.

Local residents expressed their relief – and urged the council to keep the banning order in place.

Josie Allen, 56, said: ‘We are lucky there is no damage. I am pleased they’ve gone and do not want to see them back.’

A local shopkeeper said youths from the group had stolen from her convenience store and there were reports of youths fighting.

Meanwhile, the travellers claimed they had been abused by motorists stuck in traffic on Kew Bridge.

The council was granted an order of possession by the High Court on Monday evening.

A council spokesman said: ‘A group of travellers who have been on Kew Green since Thursday have left the site, after swift legal action from Richmond Council resulted in a High Court decision to give the Council powers to evict them.

‘The travellers voluntarily left yesterday evening (Tuesday) and Council officers were on site immediately to inspect for damage. The group left some bags of rubbish, which Council contractors cleared early this morning. No damage has been caused to the site.

‘Although the travellers have now left, the Council will still serve the Order of Possession today, which is valid for three months.’

Cllr Julia Neden-Watts, Chair of the Environment, Sustainability, Culture and Sports Committee, added: ‘Thanks to our prompt action last week we were able to get a court hearing as soon as possible after the Bank Holiday, which has resulted in a Possession Order and the traveller group voluntarily leaving the site before we were required to evict them.

‘In this instance we did not have the same power we have had in recent years, following a High Court order earlier this month which denied the Council’s request to extend the previous expedited injunction process.

‘We moved as quickly as legally possible to ensure that the travellers could be moved on from Kew Green and we hope that this swift action deters this group from returning and others from coming to the borough.

‘I would like to thank Police, our Parkguard officers and our cleansing team who have been on site since Thursday to monitor the site and clear any waste left in the area.’ 

The travellers arrived last Thursday afternoon, and as soon as the council were notified, officers visited to conduct welfare checks and site assessment and request they move on. The group, however, did not co-operate.

The council issued a legal notice of the hearing date on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, the group continued to refuse to leave. 

Security guards had been patrolling the green which is just an eight-minute walk from popular attraction Kew Gardens and is surrounded by properties valued at an average of £2million each.

Police were also monitoring the situation after complaints from local residents that a local alleyway was being used as a toilet. 

One bare chested man among the group said earlier this week: ‘We will leave when we want.’

Groups of bare chested men were yesterday seen soaking up the sun drinking cans as children cycled on the green. 

Families had opened car doors on vehicles parked next to their caravans to use as makeshift washing lines.

There were piles of rubbish bags placed neatly by the bins with very little litter strewn across the green. 

Local residents said yesterday how they hoped the eviction – were it to come to that – would go smoothly.

One told MailOnline: ‘We just want them gone. What gives them the right to take over the Green? 

‘Fortunately there has been no trouble but they will not be taking their rubbish with them so someone has to pay to clear that up.’ 

The council has promised to repair any damage to the green as well as dispose of dozens of black rubbish sacks.

Residents in the upmarket neighbourhood who would normally be enjoying picnics in the warm weather say they have been forced instead to remain indoors over the weekend.

Security guards who had been patrolling the green kept a low profile ahead of the court hearing.

One local said she caught a teenager from the traveller camp trying to steal her neigbour’s vintage Triumph motorcycle. 

Sophie Hunter, 51, said: ‘I caught the lad sitting on the bike and trying to walk it away down the road.

‘I shouted out to him and told him that he couldn’t do that and he tried to argue that it was his motorbike. It was only when I started trying to film him that he got off.

‘I called the police but they didn’t send an officer down and haven’t called me back. In fact the police have been scarce since the travellers arrived last week. It’s caused a lot of upset locally because on a day such as this you’d get people sitting on the green, families would play games and have picnics.

‘But the travellers have ringed the space with their caravans and are very intimidating. A few of them have given a friend of mine some verbals for asking them to turn their generators off.

‘It’s a shame because it’s the nicest weekend weather we’ve had in quite some time. Apparently a few people have used an alley between some of the houses as a toilet and a few of the kids have been seen going through people’s allotments.

‘I have to say I’ve avoided going on the green altogether, I usually walk my dogs across there but I’ve taken the long way around today. I’m worried there might be broken glass on the grass from where they’ve been drinking out of bottles and I don’t want the dogs’ feet to be cut.

‘This is a conservation area and to get anything past planning from Richmond council takes a miracle…unless you turn up mob handed and plonk a load of caravans in the heart of the community.’