A student who allegedly threw eggs at the King has pleaded not guilty to threatening behaviour.

Patrick Thelwell appeared at York Magistrates’ Court charged with a Section 4 public order offence relating to the incident on 9 November.

Wearing an open shirt and a crop top that exposed his midriff, 23-year-old Thelwell pleaded not guilty to using threatening or abusive words or behaviour.

Thelwell’s solicitor, Nicola Hall, said the issues at trial would include whether his actions “were part of legitimate protest” and whether they “looked likely to cause fear of unlawful violence”.

“He would take the view his actions were necessary and part of a protest against the establishment,” Ms Hall told the court.

Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring released Thelwell on unconditional bail until his trial at the same court on 14 April.

The King and Queen Consort had just arrived in the city to unveil a statue of the late Queen at York Minster, and were being welcomed by local dignitaries, when a figure in the crowd threw four eggs, all of which missed the royals.

They were both ushered away by security shortly after the incident.

Last week Harry May, 21, was fined £100 and ordered to pay £85 for a non-related egg attack on the King when he visited Luton in December.

May told police the egging was motivated by his belief that the King’s visit to “deprived and poor” Luton, was “in bad taste”, prosecutors said.