Both Donald Trump and King Charles III have faced harrowing moments when they were targets of attempted assaults. Discover the chilling similarities between these two high-profile individuals who survived attacks that sent shockwaves through the world.
When gunshots rang out at Donald Trump 's Pennsylvania rally on July 13 last year, many in the crowd initially thought it was the sound of a car backfiring. That was until the Republican politician was swiftly pulled to the ground by his Secret Service agents, who swarmed the stage to protect him. As Trump defiantly rose back to his feet, blood streaming down his face, the stunned audience realized they had just witnessed an attempted assassination live on television.
But perhaps no one watching that day understood the feeling of vulnerability quite like King Charles. Three decades prior, the royal had survived his own apparent assassination attempt. Just like Trump, Charles was delivering a speech, but he was at Tumbalong Park in Sydney thirty-one years ago today, celebrating Australia Day. The then-Prince of Wales was shot at with blank rounds (though no one knew that at the time) from a starting pistol by 23-year-old student David Kang in 1994.Charles, then 45, was lauded for his composure as he was filmed calmly adjusting his cufflinks while his bodyguards wrestled Kang to the ground. Kang later explained that he carried out the stunt to draw attention to the plight of Cambodian asylum seekers detained in Australian camps. Charles, now 76, was similarly praised for his response to the shots fired in his direction in 1994. When shots rang out at Trump's Pennsylvania rally on July 13 last year, many in the crowd thought it was the sound of a car backfiring until the politician grabbed his ear and was swarmed by Secret Service agents. Trump defiantly pumped a fist at the crowd and shouted 'fight' before being escorted off the stage by his security detail. He was arrested before being found guilty of threatening unlawful violence and sentenced to 500 hours of community service. Footage of the incident showed Charles reacting to the shots before Kang - dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans - rushed the stage as horrified school children and other attendees watched on. The King's bodyguard, Superintendent Colin Trimming, was seen shoulder-charging his boss out of the way before rushing back to the stricken gunman to assess the threat. He then returned to Charles to stand as a human shield in front of him.The then Metropolitan Police Commissioner hailed the bodyguard, saying: 'I take comfort from the fact that he was the first person at the Prince's side.' Within minutes of the drama unfolding, both Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana - who had by then separated from her husband for more than a year - were informed. Charles had been about to present prizes to schoolchildren in front of a crowd of 20,000, but the incident quickly overshadowed his planned event as images of the shooting were broadcast around the world. The Prince of Wales's private secretary at the time, Commander Richard Aylard, witnessed the moment Kang launched the stunt. He said: 'I saw this character running very, very fast towards the stage at the speed of a 100 metre sprinter. I saw him fire.' Student David Kang was arrested after firing a starting pistol near Prince Charles during an Australia Day speech at Tumbalong Park, Sydney, on January 26, 1994. Grainy photos and video from the incident showed Charles remaining calm as Kang rushed the stage for the stunt. Afterward, finger-pointing over who was responsible for the security breach began, similar to what happened following the attempt on Trump's life decades later. However, claims emerged that the Palace had requested no police be positioned between Charles and the public. Terry Griffiths, the police minister for New South Wales at the time, said: 'No one can take pride that an incident has occurred, but the level of security was agreed by all the agencies involved. His Royal Highness desired that level.' The discussion surrounding the security failure intensified in the immediate aftermath as the still active IRA had demonstrated in past decades their willingness to target members of the Royal Family.In 1979, Lord Mountbatten, a significant influence on Charles' upbringing (his great-nephew), was killed by the terrorist organization after they detonated a bomb under his fishing boat. Charles and Mountbatten were close, fondly referring to each other as 'honorary grandfather' and 'honorary grandson,' according to Jonathan Dimbleby's 1994 biography. The brutal killing cast a shadow of fear over the possibility of assassination for every member of the Royal Family from that moment onward. Robert Jobson later wrote in his 2023 book 'Our King: Charles III: The Man and the Monarch Revealed': 'Understandably, Charles was profoundly affected by the murder of his beloved mentor and great uncle, Lord Mountbatten.
Politics Royalty Donald Trump Assassination Attempt King Charles Security Breach Australia Day IRA Lord Mountbatten
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