On this day in 1974, Princess Anne and her husband Captain Mark Phillips were returning to Buckingham Palace after attending a charity film screening in the City. As their chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce drove along Pall Mall it was forced to halt by another car which blocked the route. Six shots were fired at the royal car, injuring four people, but the couple escaped unhurt. The assailant had emerged from a light coloured vehicle and had fired the shots, whilst at the same time trying to jump into the Princess's car.Two of the injured were Inspector James Beaton, the Princess's private detective, who managed to fire a shot at the man before he was injured, and
the chauffeur, Alex Callender, one of the Queen's senior drivers. Both men were taken to Westminster Hospital where they underwent surgery. Also injured was a police officer, who attended after hearing the shots, and was hit in the stomach, together with a man who had been passing by in a taxi. Rowena Brassey, Lady-in-waiting to Princess Anne was also present but escaped injury. The man was eventually arrested after being brought to the ground by a police officer. The Princess was said to be shocked but not injured in any way. It was later revealed that the shooting had been an attempt to kidnap the Princess. The assailant had sent a letter to the Queen demanding £3m for her release. Ian Ball, 26, was prosecuted for the attempted murder of the princess's detective, and various offences under the Offences Against the Person Act. Ball was sentenced to life imprisonment and placed in a mental hospital. His attempt to kidnap Princess Anne remains the closest attempt anyone has made on abducting a member of the Royal Family.
