Ian Ball, a deranged and armed petty thief, rushed to the side of the royal car, pointed his revolver at the princess and said: "I want you to come with me for a day or two because I want two million pounds. Will you get out of the car?" How would a princess respond when her life is being threatened by a nutcase?
"Not bloody likely!" Her Royal Highness replied and added: "I haven't got two million pounds." The princess recalls: "I nearly lost my temper with him but I knew that if I did, I should hit him and he would shoot me. It was all so infuriating. I kept saying I didn't want to get out of the car and I was not going to get out of the car." Princess Anne then made a dive for the opposite side door of the car. This forced Ball to run around the vehicle and into the path of the Royal bodyguards.
Ball pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder and attempted kidnapping, and was locked away indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.
