The King's annual birthday parade, Trooping the Colour, is just more than a week away, but in 1981, the event took an unexpected turn when a man fired a shotgun in the crowd. Paul Burrell—who served as a footman to Queen Elizabeth in the late '70s and early '80s and later butler to Princess Diana—has shared memories of the extraordinary moment when Queen Elizabeth was able to remain cool under pressure.
Speaking on behalf of Prime Casino, Burrell shared that Trooping the Colour is "the second-most important day in the royal calendar after Remembrance Sunday" since "it's the day when we as a nation really celebrate our monarchy." Noting that it's one of the few times the public can see the royals all together—and up close and personal—the former butler said this can also pose an issue.
“That has sometimes been a little difficult in the past," he continued, referencing Trooping the Colour 1981 when "someone fired a shotgun when The Queen was riding."
On June 13, 1981 a British man named Marcus Simon Sarjeant fired six blanks from his pistol as Queen Elizabeth rode past him on her horse during the parade. While her horse, Burmese, was spooked, the late Queen quickly gained control and continued riding as Sarjeant was captured.
"I remember how brilliant a horsewoman The Queen was to restrain her horse and to carry on regardless. Can you imagine being that visible? In a public procession high on a horse for all to see and then suddenly being shocked by gunshots," Burrell said.
Queen Elizabeth famously noted that she had to be "seen to be believed," and wearing bright colors was part of how she allowed the public to spot her in a crowd. "That's a double-edged sword, isn't it, because then you become a target for some people," Burrell mused.
However, the incident gave the late Queen bragging rights for some time, per Burrell. He added that Queen Elizabeth "managed that incredibly well, and actually dined out on it for ages because people realized what a brilliant horsewoman she was." As for Sarjeant, he served just three years of a five-year prison sentence and was released in 1984.
