Princess Anne was infamously almost kidnapped in 1974, and recently, history nearly repeated itself for the royal.
WATCH: Princess Anne’s stolen love letters from affair exposed
The Queen’s second-born, who turns 70 on August 15, was at the centre of another terrifying incident – this time at her Gatcombe Park home in February, where police apprehended a man on the property.
Earlier that day, he made several calls to the UK’s emergency number, claiming Anne was “controlling his mind by moving his satellites” and threatened to stab her.
Police found 35-year-old James Ballinger to be unarmed, but charged him with stalking the princess.
While out on bail in June, he made another threat against Anne’s life. During a subsequent video hearing after his arrest, he admitted his comments were “grossly offensive and menacing”.
“He does not remember making the original call to the police in February,” says his lawyer Lee Mott. “He said he was sorry he had threatened Princess Anne.”
Ballinger has been sentenced to attend a mental health and alcohol issues program and reportedly must adhere to a six-month exclusion order banning him from entering Gatcombe Park.
The sentencing comes ahead of Anne’s 70th birthday celebrations this week, which if her no-fuss reputation is anything to go by, will most likely be a low-key affair.
Earlier this year, when events were being planned to mark Anne’s many life achievements, the princess revealed she wasn’t a fan of big celebrations.
“It would be nice if it were just another year passed,” Anne said at the time.
However, with the pandemic restrictions still in place and the Queen travelling to Scotland for her traditional summer break, it’s been reported that she and Anne had an early, private birthday lunch at Frogmore House.
Meanwhile, Anne: The Princess Royal at 70, a new documentary released to coincide with her milestone birthday, has given new insight into Anne’s life and personality.
Her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence made a rare appearance to pay tribute to his wife of 28 years, and revealed, “She’s not a person that is constantly looking for praise. She gets on and does her work regardless because she thinks it’s important.”
What’s more, her daughter Zara Tindall gives a glimpse of Anne’s down-to-earth side.
“She’d come home from engagements in exactly what she was wearing, makeup on,” Zara recalled. “Put her welly boots on, jacket on, do her chickens and get her eggs.”
The modest princess also reveals how she’s never considered herself to be a trailblazer.
“One of the oddities about my life is that I never either felt that or was encouraged to be that,” she says. “I’m afraid I was really bad at that role model bit.”
For more, pick up the latest issue of New Idea Royals. Out now!
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