Royal rescue

Looking back at the attempted kidnapping of Princess Anne

- CAREN CLARK, NATASHA HOLT, IAN MACEWAN

NEW FACTUAL
Princess Anne: The Plot to Kidnap a Royal
Sunday, 8pm, C4

On 20 March 1974, lone gunman Ian Ball attempted to execute his plan to kidnap Princess Anne and hold her to ransom for £3 million, a sum he would demand from the Queen.

Now, those who witnessed the events of that night tell the story of the crime that changed the face of royal protection for ever.

Schizophrenic loner Ball planned the ambush over two years and later said he was going to give the ransom money to the NHS. He was able to determine the Princess Royal’s whereabouts by phoning Buckingham Palace.