ShortHand: Princess Anne’s Kidnap Chaos
Summary
This episode recounts the 1974 botched kidnapping of Princess Anne by mentally ill loner Ian Ball on The Mall, detailing the chaotic ten-minute struggle that resulted in four men being shot. The hosts discuss how the incident exposed severe gaps in royal security, leading to immediate protocol changes and the awarding of the George Cross and George Medal to the heroes involved. They also explore the cultural impact of Anne’s stoic "not bloody likely" response, which reinforced the monarchy's "never complain, never explain" image, and note the event’s absence from the Netflix series The Crown.
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