EXCLUSIVE: Revealed – Tough Princess Anne's Brutal Three-Word Response To Man Who Tried to Kidnap Her For $3Million Ransom
Princess Anne's savage three-word reply to her $3M kidnapper was revealed.
Aug. 18 2025, Published 7:44 p.m. ET
Princess Anne displayed her famously no-nonsense attitude during a terrifying ordeal in 1974, RadarOnline.com can reveal as she celebrates her 75th birthday.
Anne exclaimed, "Not bloody likely!" to her would-be kidnapper, Ian Ball, when he demanded she leave her car – a three-word retort that has since become emblematic of her courage.
Attempts To Kidnap The Princess
Anne told her kidnapper, 'Not bloody likely!'
The shocking incident occurred on 20 March 1974, as the then 24-year-old Princess Anne was returning to Buckingham Palace with her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, 30, and her bodyguard, Jim Beaton.
Their vehicle was approaching The Mall in London when Ball, armed with a shotgun, blocked their car and opened fire.
Shots struck the Princess's chauffeur, Alexander Callender and a press photographer, Brian McConnell, 25, who had intervened.
Ball attempted to abduct the Princess with the intention of demanding a $3million ransom, but Anne's quick thinking and unflinching demeanor prevented the plot from succeeding.
Princess Anne stared down a gunman during a 1974 kidnapping attempt.
A source said: "Anne stayed incredibly composed. She assessed the threat immediately and wouldn't follow his orders. Her response reflected the quick, decisive mindset her sporting experience and training had taught her."
Fortunately, local boxer Ronnie Russell, 28, happened to be nearby and rushed to the scene, striking Ball and buying time for security.
Beaton, who was shot three times during the confrontation, later received the George Cross for his bravery.
"I had nothing… there was no backup vehicle. The training was nonexistent, but then again, we thought nothing was going to happen," Beaton later said. "They are highly specialized now, highly trained."
All those shot that evening – Beaton, McConnell, Callender and police constable Michael Hills – survived.
Princess Anne subsequently visited Beaton in hospital to thank him personally for his actions, showing a quiet compassion amid the horror.
The Suspect Arrested
Gunman Ian Ball blocked Anne’s car and opened fire near The Mall in London.
Ian Ball was arrested at the scene and later pleaded guilty to attempted murder and kidnapping.
Due to his schizophrenia diagnosis, he was committed to Broadmoor Hospital.
The episode has remained a defining moment in Anne's life.
In a 2017 ITV documentary, Anne: The Princess Royal at 70, she reflected on the incident, saying: "What is interesting is what you remember and how you remember it, because although I thought I remembered everything that happened, I would never have been able to swear I could remember in the right order. They were like photos, individual snapshots."
Anne's Equestrian Sports And Disciplined Training
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The ordeal cemented Anne as the royal family's toughest member.
A source said: "Her experience in equestrian sports and disciplined training clearly influenced her thinking. She showed an extraordinary knack for anticipating issues and remaining composed in a life-threatening situation. Anne herself has acknowledged her experience with horses taught her to expect the unexpected – a skill that proved vital on that fateful day."
Now 75, Princess Anne continues to embody resilience and courage, her 1974 ordeal often cited as one of the Royal Family's most dramatic near-misses.
The incident not only transformed security practices for the Firm but also reinforced the Princess Royal's reputation as one of the monarchy's toughest and most level-headed members.
