Anne, Princess Royal

:This article is about the daughter of Queen Elizabeth II. For the daughter of King George II, see Princess Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange.

Kidnap attempt

Princess Anne was the target of a failed kidnap attempt on March 20, 1974. To this day, it remains the closest any individual has come to kidnapping a member of the Royal Family. The incident occurred as Princess Anne and Mark Philips were returning to Buckingham Palace from an engagement. Their chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce was blocked in the road on Pall Mall by another car. Ian Ball, a man later judged to be mentally unstable, jumped from the car and fired six shots, wounding several people on the street. Ball planned to ransom the Princess for a sum given in various sources as £2 million http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4139187.stm or £3 million. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/20/newsid_2524000/2524489.stm

Related Topics:
March 20 - 1974 - Buckingham Palace - Rolls Royce - Pall Mall - Ian Ball

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Secret government papers released under the '30-year rule' on January 1, 2005 told that when Ball revealed his plan to the Princess at gunpoint, she replied "(Not) bloody likely!", and considered hitting Ball. Inspector James Beaton, Anne's private detective jumped across to shield the princess, and then returned fire, injuring the kidnapper. A nearby police officer gave chase and arrested Ball, who was later imprisoned in a mental hospital, where he remains. The incident prompted higher security levels for the Royal Family. Inspector James Beaton was awarded the George Cross.

Related Topics:
January 1 - 2005 - Inspector James Beaton - George Cross

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