A no-fly zone order has been enacted over the Sandringham estate, a cherished royal residence, after a series of drones were spotted in the vicinity last month. This incident coincided with a visit from the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was at Sandringham for an important meeting with King Charles III.

The decision to impose these restrictions came at the request of security services, aimed specifically at safeguarding the royal family and other high-profile dignitaries. The order was implemented shortly after the Ukrainian president's visit on March 2nd, and officially took effect on March 10th, just a week later.

The situation escalated during Zelenskyys stay when multiple drones were observed flying over the estate. Reports indicate that one of the drones could be traced back to a man seated in a car nearby. Additionally, another drone was linked to a photographer who was allegedly attempting to capture images of the events. Alarmingly, several other drones that were spotted remain unaccounted for, raising significant security concerns.

Heidi Alexander, the UK transport secretary, was responsible for signing off on the no-fly zone order. This regulation prohibits all aircraft from flying below 2,000 feet (approximately 600 meters) over Sandringham, citing reasons of public safety as the primary motive. The order aims to ensure the protection of members of the royal family and dignitaries visiting or staying at Sandringham House.

The official document outlining the no-fly zone states: These regulations impose restrictions on flying in the vicinity of Sandringham House, Norfolk. In view of the need for security for members of the royal family and other dignitaries staying at or visiting Sandringham House and at the request of the security services, it has been agreed by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport that flying should be restricted in the vicinity of that location for reasons of public safety and security.

Notably, the order does provide exemptions for royal flights, aircraft carrying visitors, as well as police and emergency service operations, allowing them to continue their critical functions without interruption.

President Zelenskyy arrived at Sandringham House via helicopter, having flown in from London shortly after attending a summit with European leaders hosted by Keir Starmer. His meeting with King Charles began around 5:30 PM and lasted just under an hour. Sources close to the event indicated that President Zelenskyy received a warm and cordial welcome from the King. It has been suggested that the UK government facilitated this meeting following a direct request from the Ukrainian leader.

This was not the first time the two leaders had met; they had a prior meeting in 2023 at Buckingham Palace. On the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, King Charles had expressed unequivocal support for Ukraine, condemning the indescribable aggression faced by the Ukrainian people and commending their determination and strength in the face of adversity.