Queen Elizabeth Survived an Assassination Attempt at Trooping the Color—And How She Handled It Will Surprise You
The shocking assassination attempt took place during the Trooping the Colour ceremony in 1981.
Over the decades, several members of the British royal family have found themselves facing frightening security scares despite intense protection. From Queen Elizabeth II surviving a shocking incident during Trooping the Colour in 1981 to Princess Anne narrowly escaping a violent kidnapping attempt in 1974, these moments have exposed just how vulnerable even the most guarded royals can be. In 1981, the monarch found herself at the center of a terrifying situation that took place in front of thousands of people, when a 17-year-old fired shots towards her, leaving everyone stunned.
As the grand ceremony began, Elizabeth rode down The Mall on horseback, leading the traditional procession. Everything was going well until suddenly, the event took a dramatic turn when a boy named Marcus Sarjeant from Kent raised a pistol in her direction and shot six blank rounds. As reported by People Magazine, the moment sparked immediate chaos, with police officers quickly intervening and tackling the teenager to the ground. At that point, he said, "I wanted to be famous. I wanted to be somebody."
Sarjeant further told investigators that he had been influenced by the high-profile attacks that had dominated headlines, including the assassination of John Lennon and the attempted shootings of Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II. Later, it was also revealed that, in the lead-up to the parade, Sarjeant sent a disturbing letter to Buckingham Palace. As reported by Metro, the letter read, "Your Majesty. Don’t go to the Trooping the Color ceremony because there is an assassin set up to kill you, waiting just outside the palace."
But it was received only several days after the parade, meaning the Queen and royal officials were unaware of any potential threat before the event unfolded. Furthermore, the would-be assassin was later charged under the Treason Act in connection with the incident and eventually admitted guilt in court. On September 14, 1981, he was finally given a five-year prison sentence. However, he was released in October 1984 at the age of 20, adopted a new identity, and tried to rebuild his life away from public attention. He also wrote a letter to the Queen, expressing regret and apologizing for the incident.
Not just this, his grandmother Sylvia wrote, "I love the Royal Family – every one of them, especially the Queen and the Queen Mother, and I am heartbroken that my grandson should be charged with something like this." That said, this wasn't the only threat Elizabeth faced during her reign. In 1971, another assassination attempt took place while the monarch was touring Australia. According to reports, a large log was deliberately placed on railway tracks in an effort to derail the Queen’s train, but, luckily, the train conductor spotted the obstruction in time and managed to stop it.
