In 1994, while serving as Prince of Wales, King Charles faced an unusual threat during a visit to Australia. As he prepared to deliver a speech, a 23-year-old man named David Kang approached him, brandishing a starter pistol, and fired two shots. Both rounds were blanks, but the incident could have been alarming.
Remarkably, Charles did not flinch. Instead, he calmly adjusted his cufflinks, earning him the nickname 'The Prince of Coolness'. Reflecting on the event, Charles later remarked that a previous encounter with a charging bull elephant had been far more alarming, adding that the shooting was 'a bit silly'.
Professor Pauline Maclaran, co-author of Royal Fever and a professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, noted that Charles was described as being 'cool as a cucumber', a very British expression. She added that his handling of the situation was much admired.
Kang fired the shots as an act of protest and was subsequently tackled to the ground and arrested. He received 500 hours of community service. While Charles dismissed the event at the time, he later admitted it was traumatic and something he preferred not to discuss.
