When the King Could Have Died a Prince: How Charles was shot with a starting pistol by a 23-year-old protester in Sydney 30 years ago today – but was dubbed 'His Royal Coolness' for the way he remained calm as the student was bundled into the ground

If his would-be assassin had had more malicious intentions, King Charles might never have been able to ascend the throne.

Thirty years ago today, the then Prince of Wales was shot with a starting pistol by 23-year-old student David Kang.

It was a moment that left hearts in their mouths around the world as many wondered what could have happened.

Charles, who was in Sydney for Australia Day, remained remarkably calm as Kang, who is now a lawyer, was pushed to the ground.

The king appeared only slightly disturbed when two shots were fired and was praised as 'His royal composure' as he dusted himself off and continued his speech in Sydney's Tumbalong Park.

Kang later said he carried out the stunt to highlight the plight of Cambodian asylum seekers held in detention camps in Australia.

He was arrested before being found guilty of threatening unlawful violence and sentenced to 500 hours of community service.

Footage of the incident showed Charles reacting to the shots before Kang – wearing a white T-shirt and jeans – stormed onto the stage as horrified schoolchildren and other attendees looked on.

The King's bodyguard, Chief Inspector Colin Trimming, was seen rushing his boss aside before returning to the stricken gunman to assess the threat.

He then returned to Charles to stand before him as a human shield. The then Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police greeted the bodyguard and said: “I take comfort in the fact that he was the first person at the Prince's side.”

Within minutes of the tragedy unfolding, both Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana – who had been separated from her husband for more than a year at the time – were notified.

Charles was about to present prizes to schoolchildren in front of a crowd of 20,000 people.

The then private secretary to the Prince of Wales, Commander Richard Aylard, witnessed the moment Kang launched his stunt.

He said: 'I saw this character running very, very quickly towards the stage at the speed of a 100-metre sprinter. I saw him shoot.'

Afterwards, fingers were pointed at who was responsible for the safety error.

However, it was claimed that the palace had requested that no police be placed between Charles and the public.

Terry Griffiths, the New South Wales Police Minister at the time, said: 'No one can be proud that an incident occurred, but the level of safety was agreed by all agencies involved. His Royal Highness desired that level.”

If Kang had fired real bullets and killed Charles, Prince William – then just 11 years old – would have become the Queen's heir.

If the queen had not reigned for seventy years and had instead died before Prince William's eighteenth birthday, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, would have led a regency until his cousin came of age.

In 2015, Kang's mother revealed that her son, who she called a “good boy”, was married with two children and working as a lawyer in Sydney.

He had previously recounted his stunt in Sydney's Sun Herald newspaper: 'I pulled out the starter's pistol and stood up.

'I had to jump the fence. I heard a bang, and then another bang… I had shot the gun into the air.

“I thought I dropped the gun before I went on stage, but it was still in my hand. I didn't trip on stage, I fell on purpose, because I didn't mean to hurt anyone.'

It wasn't the first time Charles had been targeted by a protester. In 2001, a schoolgirl hit him in the face with a rose during his visit to Latvia.

Alina Lebedyver was accused of endangering the life of a foreign dignitary and faced a prison sentence of up to fifteen years.

Charles pleaded for leniency and the charges were reduced, eventually to the point where she was placed under her mother's custody for a year.