An armed man attempted to kidnap Princess Anne on this day 50 years ago. Ian Ball shot police and bystanders in his failed attempt, which only ended when a former boxer punched him in the head.
The Mall, famous for its pomp and ceremony, turned into a sinister crime scene that night. Queen Elizabeth’s 23-year-old daughter, Princess Anne, and her then husband Captain Mark Philips were traveling back to Buckingham Palace from a charity event.
A Ford Escort cut up the Royal car, forcing it to stop. Assailant 26-year-old Ian Ball got out his car and approached the Princess. Ball was armed with two pistols, and shot Princess Anne’s Close Protection Officer, Inspector James Beaton, who tried to disarm him.
Beaton returned fire, but missed, before his gun jammed. He was shot twice more as he tried to protect the Queen’s daughter using only his body.
Dai Davies, former Head of Royalty Protection, told GB News: “[Royal protection in 1974] was totally inadequate."
"Then the training was very different, because nobody actually thought anything like this could happen."
"There was no defensive driving training in those days."
"What [The Chauffer] should have done, if somebody pulls over at you like that, is to drive through him".
Meanwhile, Ball attempted to kidnap Princess Anne. He demanded a reported £3 million ransom, which he claimed would be donated to the NHS.
In an interview with Sir Michael Parkinson in 1983, Princess Anne explained: "[Ball] said I had to go with him."
"I said I didn't want to go with him, thank you very much."
"I was scrupulously polite, because I thought it's silly to be too rude at this stage."
Princess Anne’s chauffeur also tried to disarm Ball, only to be shot like Beaton. Nearby journalist, Brian McConnell, also took a bullet as he tried to get involved.
The Princess told her Lady in waiting, who was also in the Royal car, to run away - which she managed to do. PC Michael Hills, who’d been guarding the Queen mother’s residence on the opposite side of the road at Clarence House, also came to help.
Ian Ball shot him too, but PC Hills managed to call for backup. "When he shot the policeman, we managed to close the door. He got the door back open, but in the process, the back of my dress split...and that was his most dangerous moment."
Former boxer, Ronnie Russell, passed by and realised what was going on. He got himself between Anne, who had got out the car by this point, and Ball.
He then punched the assailant as hard as he could. There are various accounts of what happened next, but the end result was Ian Ball was arrested.
Ball pleaded guilty to attempted murder and kidnapping. He was detained under the Mental Health Act, having been diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
Nowadays Close Protection Officers are highly trained. Police outriders and backup vehicles are common practice.
Miraculously, those who were shot that night survived their ordeal, and Princess Anne visited them in hospital. Queen Elizabeth II awarded the George Medal to the Boxer who punched Ball. The other heroes that night were also rewarded.
Today, The Princess Royal is consistently rated the hardest-working member of the Royal Family. A firm support for her brother, the King, who continues regular cancer treatment.
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