Princess Anne kidnap attempt: Boxer who intervened selling medal to pay for funeral

The George Medal awarded to a former heavyweight boxer for rushing to Princess Anne’s aid during an attempted armed kidnapping is going up for auction to help his family pay for his funeral.

Ronnie Russell, 72, won the accolade for his bravery in 1974, having intervened when Ian Ball tried to take the royal hostage at gunpoint in central London on 20 March that year.

Anne and her then husband Mark Phillips were heading to Buckingham Palace from a charity event on Pall Mall when their car was forced to stop by Ball’s Ford Escort, who jumped out and opened fire with a pistol.

The couple were unharmed during the incident, but Anne’s personal detective and chauffeur were both shot – as was a police constable and a journalist.

Mr Russell, who measured 6ft 2in and 17 stone, saw the violence unfolding and intervened by punching Ball and then acting as the princess’ human shield.

At the time, the then 28-year-old fighter – who boxed at the same Bethnal Green club as the Kray twins – had been driving back home to Kent via Pall Mall and thought he had come across a road rage incident.

His decision to intervene may have been crucial, as Anne and Captain Phillips were only being guarded by one royal protection officer on the night.

Security procedures surrounding the Royal Family have since been completely overhauled.

Ball was eventually restrained and arrested, and later charged with attempted murder, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and attempting to kidnap Anne.

He pleaded guilty to two attempted murder charges and the kidnapping charge before an Old Bailey judge sent him to a psychiatric hospital – and he remains detained under the Mental Health Act at Broadmoor.

His aim had been to kidnap Anne and place a £3m ransom on her head.

Anne famously discussed the incident during an appearance on chat show Parkinson in 1984, saying she was “scrupulously polite” to Ball because she thought it would “silly to be rude at that stage”.

Mr Russell, a married father-of-two from Medway in Kent, was honoured by the Queen on 26 November 1974, and he admits he feels like he’s “betraying” the monarch by selling his medal.

Auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb (DNW) will put the accolade under the hammer on Wednesday and it is estimated to fetch between £15,000 and £20,000.

Mr Russell, who now lives in Bristol, says he will always be proud of having been awarded the medal as he “honestly thought that I was going to die” when he came to the couple’s aid on Pall Mall.

He recalled: “I still believe that the life of a member of the Royal Family is much more important than mine. I just stood rigid and braced myself, waiting for the shot I expected to come and hit me in the back.”

The medal is being sold with various archive material, including a Downing Street letter informing Mr Russell of the award and a telegram of congratulations from Anne herself.

Mr Russell told ITV’s This Morning on Tuesday that he had always “vowed” not to sell the accolade, but did not want to leave his family in a situation where they would have to pay for his funeral.

He said his health had deteriorated after suffering several strokes.

He added: “I feel very sad about it. I was honoured receiving it, but I have been forced into the situation.”

(c) Sky News 2020: Princess Anne kidnap attempt: Boxer who intervened selling medal to pay for funeral