Chilling words sent to Queen Elizabeth before assassination attempt at Trooping the colour (Image: Getty)
Trooping the Colour is one of the biggest events in the royal calendar – synonymous with military precision, royal pageantry and thousands of cheering spectators lining The Mall. But one ceremony during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign took a chilling turn when shots were fired directly towards the monarch as she rode through central London.
The shocking incident unfolded on June 13, 1981, as the late Queen took part in her annual birthday parade aboard her beloved horse, Burmese. Riding down The Mall in front of huge crowds, the monarch suddenly found herself at the centre of a terrifying security breach when six blank shots were fired in her direction.
Despite the chaos unfolding around her, Queen Elizabeth remained remarkably composed. While Burmese was visibly startled by the noise, the monarch calmly steadied the horse and continued with the parade as though nothing had happened.
Trooping the colour is the monarchs official birthday celebrated by the nation (Image: Getty)
The gunman was quickly identified as 17-year-old Marcus Sarjeant, who was immediately wrestled to the ground by soldiers before being arrested. In the moments after the shots were fired, Sarjeant reportedly uttered a chilling six-word statement to Lance-Corporal Alex Galloway.
He said: “I wanted to be a somebody.” Later adding: “I wanted to be famous.”
The incident sent shockwaves through the country and raised serious questions about royal security. However, perhaps even more unsettling was a letter Sarjeant had sent to Buckingham Palace before carrying out the attack. Meanwhile, the correspondence did not arrive until three days after the incident.
Queen Elizabeth II had blank shots fired at her while on horseback (Image: PA)
It read: “Your Majesty. Don’t go to the Trooping the Colour ceremony because there is an assassin set up to kill you, waiting just outside the palace.”
Thankfully, the revolvers used by Sarjeant contained blank ammunition rather than live rounds. Nevertheless, the attack remains one of the most alarming moments of Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign.
Ahead of the parade, Sarjeant had purchased two imitation Colt Python revolvers for £66.90. Following his arrest, he was prosecuted under the 1842 Treason Act and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.
Marcus Sarjeant was sentenced to five years in prison (Image: PA)
It is understood that during his sentence, he later wrote to Queen Elizabeth to apologise for his actions.
While the incident could easily have deterred many people from returning to such a high-profile public event, Queen Elizabeth was not one of them. In characteristic fashion, she refused to allow the attack to define her, continuing to take part in future Trooping the Colour ceremonies and maintaining the sense of duty that became her hallmark throughout her reign.
Today, Trooping the Colour remains one of the most important events in the royal calendar, bringing together more than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and hundreds of musicians to mark the Sovereign’s official birthday.
Although King Charles has previously ridden on horseback during the parade, the monarch has travelled by carriage in recent years while continuing treatment for cancer.
Despite changes over time, the event remains a powerful reminder of the resilience that has long defined the monarchy – perhaps none more so than Queen Elizabeth’s remarkable reaction on that extraordinary day in 1981.