The future King Charles moments after the Australia Day incident on Jan. 26, 1994.Photo:Martin Keene - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images
Martin Keene - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images
King Charles’ hospitalization forprostate surgeryfell on the 30th anniversary of a scary incident where a student fired two shots at him with a pistol.
On Jan. 26, 1994, then-Prince Charles was visiting Darling Harbour in Sydney for Australia Day. The Prince of Wales, then 45, was preparing to present prizes to schoolchildren before a crowd of 20,000 when 23-year-old David Kang released the firearm, theDaily Mailreported. Kang hopped onto the stage at Tumbalong Park and seemed to trip before being tackled, but he managed to come within just a few feet of the then-heir to the throne.
According to the outlet, Charles stayed calm and continued with his speech after everything settled. TheMaillater dubbed him “His Royal Coolness.”
An image taken from a television broadcast of the arrest after Prince Charles was shot at on Australia Day, Jan. 26, 1994.THOMAS CHENG/AFP via Getty Images
THOMAS CHENG/AFP via Getty Images
“Prince Charles was fantastic. He was as cool as a cucumber,” Kiernan said, theLos Angeles Timesreported via Reuters.
Kang was found guilty of threatening unlawful violence and ordered to 500 hours of community service, theHeraldsaid. The newspaper reported thatThe Sun-Heraldgot in touch with him before the future King Charles traveled back to Australia in February 2005 for his first visit since the Darling Harbour incident.
According to theMorning Herald, Kang became a lawyer and has maintained that he did not intend to hurt anyone on Australia Day.
Prince Charles moments after the Australia Day incident on Jan. 26, 1994.Martin Keene - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images
“What happened 11 years ago was an extremely traumatic experience and I have certainly moved on in my life and now I have become a barrister here in Sydney,” Kang told theMorning Heraldin an article published in January 2005.
“Certainly 11 years ago was a traumatic experience and is something I don’t want to bring back those memories again,” he said. “To think about it even now unsettles me a little bit… what happened back then was extremely traumatic and the effect it had on my family was deeply upsetting.”
Fast forward to the present, and it’s understood that King Charles isdoing wellafter undergoing surgery for an enlarged prostate on Friday. The update came on the same day that Buckingham Palace announced he wasadmitted to the hospitalfor treatment, and he andQueen Camillawere seen atThe London Clinic.
King Charles at Sandringham on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2023.Stephen Pond/Getty
Stephen Pond/Getty
Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
Queen Camilla briefly spoke about her husband’s health on Friday as she left the private hospital, where well-wishers were gathered outside.
Buckingham Palace announced on Jan. 17 that King Charles was seeking treatment for an enlarged prostate less than two hours after Kensington Palace announced thatKate Middletonhad abdominal surgery the day prior.
The London Clinic had two royal patients, as Princess Kate continued her recovery followingplanned abdominal surgeryon Jan. 16.
source: people.com
