Royal superfan ‘disappointed’ she’s still had no official apology from the Met Police

An Australian royal superfan who was mistakenly arrested and locked up by police for 13 hours at the King’s coronation says she is “disappointed” the Met has still not issued a public apology.

It comes after Alice Chambers, 36, revealed to i how she had desperately tried to tell police she was not with a group of Just Stop Oil protesters while waiting to watch the coronation on the Mall last Saturday.

During the 13-hour ordeal, Ms Chambers, an architect, said she was repeatedly questioned, subjected to physical searches, held in a cell and had her DNA, fingerprints and mugshot taken before the Met finally realised she was an innocent bystander.

She said it wasn’t until two senior officers interviewed her at 7pm, more than 10 hours after she was arrested, that police acknowledged they’d made a mistake.

On Friday night, the Met issued a statement saying it “regrets” that Ms Chambers was not able to watch the coronation, but the force stopped short of issuing a public apology to her.

“The officer who made the arrest was on mutual aid from Lincolnshire Police, which is why we remain in close contact with Lincolnshire Police regarding a complaint,” the statement said.

“We regret that she was not able to watch the coronation.

“Officers have spoken with her to explain our decisions and the next steps.”

Ms Chambers told i on Saturday that it was “disappointing”, not to see an apology in the latest Met statement, adding: “I guess if they are doing an investigation then I welcome the result of that.”

She also criticised both police forces for appearing to shift the blame onto one another.

“At the moment it seems that the Lincolnshire police are kind of looking at the Met and the Met are looking at Lincolnshire police,” she said.

Ms Chambers, who lived in the UK for seven years, was told she would face “no further action” by the police but she is concerned how the incident will affect her right to live in the UK.

Her arrest on suspicion of a criminal offence will remain on her record on the Police National Computer (PNC) and she is required to make an application supported by evidence to have the record removed, so she has instructed solicitors Taylor Rose to help, as well looking at a potential civil claim against the police.

“It would be nice [if both forces apologised], also for me, obviously I’m sponsored, and having something like that on my record is something that I would worry about.”

“I think it needs to be investigated and hopefully an apology comes from that.”

The Met and Lincolnshire Police were approached for comment.