Princess Diana’s first Trooping the Colour in 1981 was filled with drama and controversy.

At that time, the Princess of Wales made headlines after she became the first non-member of the royal family to join the British clan at the event. Princess Diana was still a month away from marrying Prince Charles, but she was already granted permission to join the carriage procession.

The mom-of-two rode the carriage alongside Prince Andrew while Prince Charles went on the parade on horseback. After the short procession, Princess Diana also made her first Buckingham Palace balcony debut with the other members of the royal family.

But this wasn’t the only major thing that happened during the Trooping the Colour of 1981. Years ago, a teenage boy fired multiple shots in an attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II. Luckily, none of those shots hit Her Majesty.

Marcus Simon Sarjeant was wrestled to the ground by the police after firing at least six more times. He was charged under the Treason Act of 1842 and was sent to prison for five years.

During an interview with his captors, Sarjeant revealed his motivation for wanting to assassinate the monarch. He said that he simply wanted to become famous, and he also wanted to be somebody.

Despite the shocking incident, the Queen arrived at the Buckingham Palace balcony looking calm and collected. The Trooping the Colour ceremony took place without any other mishap.

But since the incident happened just one month before Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding, security concerns at St. Paul’s Cathedral heightened. Luckily for the royal couple, their nuptials pushed through without any problems.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana tied the knot on July 29, 1981. The Prince and Princess of Wales stayed married until 1996 before they officially got divorced. But as early as 1992, Prince Charles and Princess Diana were no longer living together at the Kensington Palace.

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