On the night of March 20, 1974, Inspector Jim Beaton – then a Metropolitan Police protection officer assigned as a royal bodyguard – stepped out of a Royal limousine and into history.
“I’ve still got a bit of bullet lodged in my hand,” he recalled in a BBC interview in 2024. “In fact, it’s just about there somewhere.”
Beaton had been assigned as Princess Anne’s personal protection officer, accompanying the young royal and her husband, Captain Mark Phillips, back to Buckingham Palace after a charity event. Their journey along The Mall was abruptly halted when a white car pulled in front of the royal vehicle.
“The driver of the white car, Ian Ball, came back towards the Royal car. I got out of my seat, came up out behind the car, and he went bang, bang, and shot me in the chest,” Beaton said. Despite being shot three times – twice in the chest and once in the abdomen – he continued to struggle to protect Princess Anne from the armed assailant.
“My gun jammed after the first shot. Ball was pointing his gun at Princess Anne and saying, ‘You drop your gun or I’ll shoot.’ He fired at the same time my hand went up, and the bullet went into my hand,” Beaton explained.
Even after being wounded, he managed to kick open the car’s back door, facing Ball once more before collapsing onto the pavement.
Courage Under Fire
Though shot multiple times, Beaton’s actions bought crucial seconds until other officers and brave bystanders intervened. He was awarded the George Cross, the UK’s highest civilian gallantry award, for his extraordinary bravery.
Princess Anne visited him in hospital, lifting his spirits. “She was cool, calm, and collected. Although obviously, I’m sure she was worried to death,” Beaton remembered. “When Princess Anne came to see me in hospital, it was quite funny… she said she was pleased that we’re all still alive and kicking.”
Reflections on a Changed World
Beaton’s reflections reveal how drastically royal protection evolved in the wake of the attack. “At that time, training courses were nil. You just shoved in and off you go,” he said. “Nowadays, it’s very different, of course. It’s selected, they’re interviewed, and tested, and everything else.”
“The Royal protection changed drastically, really. Slightly better guns, better ammunition, more courses, more training, more people. Suddenly all appeared, literally within days. It really is a different world altogether.”
For Beaton, it was simply a matter of doing his duty in extraordinary circumstances—his modesty echoing the quiet courage he displayed that night.
