Royals: These Members Almost Lost Their Lives

Life in the royal sphere can indeed present its fair share of perils. Several members from different royal households have encountered precarious situations throughout their lives. Close encounters with attacks, near-plane crashes, and accidents have become defining moments for some of these royals. Fortunately, many of them have managed to escape these near-death experiences. You can explore our picture gallery to discover the names and stories of the royals who have faced such life-threatening situations.

King Charles III almost lost his life on a skiing trip in Switzerland. In 1988, the heir to the throne was skiing with friends when they were hit by an avalanche. "It was as if the mountain was going to explode, I will never forget the sound of the avalanche," Charles said later. He also escaped an assassination attempt by the IRA together with Lady Diana.

In 1983, Lady Diana and Charles attended a concert by the band Duran Duran. Little did they know that the Irish terrorist organization IRA had hidden a bomb in a restroom wall, placing the royal couple in grave danger. Thankfully, a brave police officer, who had successfully infiltrated the organization, promptly alerted authorities. As a result, the disaster was averted, preventing any harm to the royal couple.

Camilla, Charles' second wife, also had a brush with a life-threatening incident. In 2018, while on board the royal helicopter, she came dangerously close to colliding with a plane carrying a group of parachutists. Remarkably, just 45 minutes later, a glider crossed their flight path during the approach. The pilot of the glider was found to be at fault for failing to inform the air traffic controllers. Fortunately, Camilla emerged from both incidents without harm or injury.

Sarah Ferguson narrowly escaped one of the deadliest attacks in American history. On September 11, 2001, she had a scheduled appointment on the 101st floor of the North Tower in the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. However, due to the heavy traffic, she was delayed by 20 minutes. That fortunate delay likely saved her life. "I take every minute as a blessing," she later told 'Hello' magazine.

Prince Laurent fell ill with severe pneumonia in 2014 and was even put into an artificial coma as a result. After three weeks in the hospital, his condition improved and he was allowed to return home. But the near-death experience changed the Belgian. A year later, he told "La Dernière Heure": "I can't tell you any names, but I saw two ancestors almost every day, with whom I have contacts. I speak with them as I speak with you now."

In the Danish royal family, Crown Prince Frederik encountered a life-threatening situation. In 1988, he, along with Prince Joachim and two other friends, were involved in a severe traffic accident. Prince Joachim had to abruptly maneuver to avoid a vehicle on a curve, leading to the loss of control of their car. Consequently, Crown Prince Frederik and one of his friends were ejected from the vehicle and landed in a nearby river. They lost consciousness and were perilously close to drowning until they eventually regained consciousness.

In 1974, Princess Anne was almost kidnapped after a charity event. The armed Ian Ball stopped the limousine in which Anne was sitting and shot three times at the protection officer James Beaton, who was also the driver. Years later, Princess Anne told the TV show "Parkinson," "He opened the door and we had a sort of discussion about where we were going or not going ... He said I had to go with him, can't remember why." She was later allowed to leave the car upon request and the perpetrator was arrested.

Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg and his wife Princess Sibilla faced a near-death experience when they were involved in a car accident on September 10, 2000. Their vehicle was struck by a drunk driver traveling at a speed of 170 km/h. Miraculously, both of them managed to free themselves from the wreckage. Unfortunately, their ordeal did not end there. Another vehicle following the accident collided with Prince Guillaume at high speed. Princess Sibilla suffered a broken leg and was hospitalized, while Prince Guillaume remained in a coma for several days due to brain trauma.

Princess Stéphanie, at the tender age of 17, faced a harrowing brush with death. In 1982, she was traveling with her mother, Grace Kelly, along the Route de La Turbie when their car veered out of control, plummeting down a forty-meter drop. Despite the tragic turn of events, Stéphanie managed to survive the car accident, albeit with a concussion and a broken vertebra. Sadly, her mother, Grace Kelly, passed away one day after the accident.