In 2020 the news emerged that Ronnie Russellthe man who saved Princess Anna from an attempted kidnapping in 1974, had sold his George Medal (decoration established by King Giorgio VI in 1940 to reward actions of civil courage, editor’s note) due to health problems. Subsequently, further memories of that dramatic event were resurfaced, with the former bodyguard of the princess who told his version of the facts.
The attempt took place when Princess Anna, then twenty -three, was returning to Buckingham Palace after participating in a charity event together with her first husband, the captain Mark Phillips. A car blocked their way and suddenly the driver, Ian Ballextracted a gun. Ball fired the driver of Anna and his bodyguard, Jim Beatonas well as a journalist of a tabloid who had tried to intervene.
Beaton was struck before even if they were able to extract the gun. Wounded in the shoulder, the bodyguard tried to respond to the assalitator’s fire, but it was missing. To the second attempt, his gun, a Walther Ppk, stood out.
Ball, who had planned to kidnap the princess for a redemption of 2 million pounds, tried to bring Anna down from the car. In a moment of surprising calm, Anna reacted with an expression that became famous: “Not Bloody Likely “(« I really don’t think about it»). Before the situation could further degenerate, the attack was stopped by a passing boxer, the aforementioned Ronnie Russell, who launched a punch in the lead to Ball.
The police bodyguard Jim Beaton, just like Russell, was awarded for the courage shown at the juncture, receiving the George Cross, the highest civil honor for acts of heroism. Speaking with the Timestold his version of the events of March 20, 1974.
At the time thirty -one -year -old inspector, Beaton had been the body guard of Princess Cipessa Anna for a year. When Ball’s car forced the queen’s driver to stop on The MallBeaton went down to check: “I thought it was a breaker … there was no signal of what was about to happen”.
Beaton, after being hit by Ball, who had two guns, found himself with his jammed weapon. At that point Ball ordered him to put her down, threatening to shoot the princess. While Ball tried to force the car door, Beaton gained the other side, climbing next to the princess and her husband. When Ball fired again, Beaton raised his arm to try to stop the bullet. He was hit in his hand and then to the abdomen. Seriously injured, Beaton tell the police in his statement: «I felt tired and very drunk, even if I hadn’t drank. I just wanted to lie down ».
That night was not just beaton who found himself on the shooting line. The journalist Brian McConnellthe driver of Anna, Alexander Calllender And Michael Hillsa police officer in service in St James’s Palace, were all affected. Fortunately there were no victims.
If it hadn’t been for the providential passage of Ronnie Russell, however, the episode could have had an even worse outcome. After Russell had launched a punch to Ball, the latter tried to escape but was reached by the agents who had launched himself to his pursuit.
The great courage shown allowed Beaton to continue working for Anna another five years. Later he also served for the queen. In an interview with Times He said that the accident marked a significant change in the methods of protecting the members of the royal family: “I had nothing … there was no support vehicle. The training was non -existent, but on the other hand we thought that nothing would never have happened. Now they are highly specialized, highly trained ».
Immediately after the attack, i real They stopped having only one escort agent. When Anna went to find Beaton in the hospital, “he presented himself with two policemen. From that moment on, it was like this ». The type of weapons used by body guards has also been changed. After Beaton’s weapon had jammed, “the Walthers were eliminated from one day to the next”.
Source: Vanity Fair
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