Royal kidnap: Captain Phillips was so frightened after gunman tried to take Princess Anne
PRINCESS ANNE’s first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, admitted being so “frightened” and in “shock” when an armed man tried to kidnap the Princess Royal, in a newly-resurfaced interview.
The events of March 20, 1974, remain the closest anyone has got, in modern times, to abducting one of the British Royal Family. Princess Anne was nearly kidnapped when an armed man attacked her car on The Mall outside Buckingham Palace on this day in 1974. The Queen's only daughter and her then-husband, Captain Mark Phillips, were en route to the Palace when a car swerved in front of their chauffeur-driven limousine.
In a newly-resurfaced interview, Captain Phillips recalled those frightening moments, admitting how in shock he was.
Talking to legendary chat show host Michael Parkinson, both the Princess Royal and her husband opened about about the infamous kidnapping attempt.
Captain Phillips revealed: "It never occurred to me that I might end up in that sort of situation."
Looking at his then -wife, he noted" "I think you had probably thought about it before."
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He continued: "It was a bit of a shock.
"I was frightened.
"I don’t mind admitting it.
"Somehow, while we had the dialogue going though, it didn’t seem too bad because we were able to keep talking, keep arguing and it was alright."
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Princess Anne also explained Mr Parkinson how dangerous actually is being a member of the Royal Family.
She said: "Public figures have always been in danger to some degree.
"Queen Victoria had several attempts. I think five during her reign. Mostly single people.”
Suggesting Queen Elizabeth II had more assassination attempts than Victoria, Anne added: "With mother [Queen Elizabeth II], it’s worse.
"Perhaps that’s your greatest danger, the lonely nutcase who just got enough to put it together.
"It would be very fair to say that if anybody was seriously intent on wiping acid it would be very easy to do."