A man approached the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, who died on September 8, to check if the monarch was dead, British authorities said.
Muhammad Khan, 28, a native of London, wanted to make sure for himself last Friday that the matriarch, whose coffin rested in Westminster Hall, had died.
For this reason, Khan left the carpet on the way to the coffin and managed to take the flag of the Royal Standard with both hands, according to the British network BBC.
Hundreds of people say goodbye to Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, at the Palace of Westminster in London, on September 18, 2022. Adrian Dennis / AP
"At the time you were in Westminster,
you did not accept that the queen was dead
and that was the reason you went to the coffin to make sure she was," Judge Michael Snow told the defendant during the hearing.
A television broadcast showed the event live, after which Khan was detained and questioned by the police.
"The defendant did express the idea that the Queen is not dead and that he approached the coffin because he wanted to check it out for himself," prosecutor Luke Staton said.
The eight grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II mount an honor guard around her coffin
Sept.
17, 202202:19
Khan had been charged with behavior intended to cause alarm, harassment or distress.
However, as reported by the aforementioned media,
he was released on bail
on the condition that he remain in a mental health hospital until his next appearance on October 18.
Despite this, the accused was declared unfit to participate in the judicial process after doctors determined that he suffers from delusions.
[Queen Elizabeth II begins her final journey from Scotland to London: the public gets a first look at her coffin]
"He is still delusional and believes the queen is not dead," Judge Michael Snow said.
"[He] thinks King Charles has something to do with it and that he can go to Windsor Castle to pay his respects to her, but also because he still thinks she's alive."
When Khan was asked how many times he would try to accomplish his mission, he said, "
As long as I'm alive
."
