King Charles, known for his composure, demonstrated remarkable calm when he was shot at twice with blank rounds during a speech in Australia in 1994. The incident, which occurred while he was still the Prince of Wales, saw him glance down to check his cufflinks, earning him the nickname 'Prince of Coolness'.
The Incident in Detail
In 1994, the then-Prince Charles was in Australia preparing to deliver a speech when a 23-year-old man, later identified as David Kang, approached him brandishing a starter pistol. Kang fired at the prince twice, but both shots were blanks. Remarkably, Charles did not flinch. Instead, he calmly glanced down to straighten his cufflinks, swiftly earning him the moniker 'The Prince of Coolness'. Footage of the incident is available on Instagram.
Security Response and Aftermath
While Charles remained unfazed, his security team was quick to react, pushing the prince out of harm's way. Kang was tackled to the ground and taken into custody. He had fired at the prince as an act of protest and was later handed 500 hours of community service. Reflecting on the moment, Charles remarked that a previous encounter with a charging bull elephant had been far more alarming, adding that it was 'a bit silly to start shooting'.
Expert Commentary
Pauline Maclaran, co-author of Royal Fever and Professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, commented: 'At the time the prince was described as being 'cool as a cucumber,' a very British expression I think! But certainly he didn't panic and his handling of the situation was much admired.' She added that the incident was designed to scare him, not harm him, and that it was unlikely to influence his state visit to the US.
Maclaran also noted that Kang was not trying to kill Charles, but rather to capture his attention. However, instead of getting an opportunity to address the royal, Kang was wrestled to the ground and arrested. While Charles dismissed the incident at the time, later in life he admitted it was traumatic and something he'd prefer not to discuss.
Charles's Composure in Context
The King's mention of a 'charging bull elephant' is an actual quote he frequently uses to minimise human-led threats. This incident in Australia is just one example of his ability to remain calm under pressure, a trait that has been widely admired.
