Donald Trump isn’t exactly on friendly terms with the Royal Family, reportedly unable to stand Meghan Markle, and has been engaged in a longstanding beef with Prince Harry long before the infamous “Megxit.” Now, Kate Middleton’s name has been dragged into the controversy surrounding a shocking assassination attempt on Trump. Granted, the Duchess of Cambridge was nowhere near the incident, yet she somehow got roped into the conversation — and not by her own doing.
A quick recap: On July 13, 2024, during a rally in Pennsylvania, there was an assassination attempt on former President Trump. In the middle of delivering a speech for his presidential bid, three shots were fired, with one bullet grazing Trump’s right ear, according to AP News. “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social. “Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
The investigation didn’t waste time identifying the shooter: a 20-year-old man named Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was fatally taken down by the Secret Service moments after the shooting. And here’s where it gets weird — upon further digging, authorities discovered that Crooks had been saving photos of Middleton on his phone in the days leading up to the incident.
Trump’s shooter was reportedly interested in Kate Middleton
As of this writing, the motive behind Thomas Matthew Crooks’ attempt to assassinate Donald Trump remains a mystery. The FBI reportedly seized his personal belongings, including his electronic devices, which included two mobile phones and a laptop, in hopes of uncovering the reason behind his actions. According to NPR reporter Martin Kaste, the FBI reported to Congress that besides images of Trump, Crooks also had photos of President Joe Biden and — oddly enough — Kate Middleton. “He’d searched for dates of Trump’s speaking events, as well as the Democratic National Convention,” Kaste added. “They say they found no signs of any strong political ideology or foreign connections, but they say he did search for the term major depressive disorder.”
The Daily Mail added that the FBI’s briefing revealed Crooks had a fascination with “famous people,” although it should be noted that the Princess of Wales was the only non-American among the photos on his phone. Photos of Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray were also found, indicating his interest in prominent government figures as well.
Predictably, the Royal Family has kept mum on the whole ordeal, but King Charles reportedly sent a private letter to Trump. According to the BBC, the British monarch personally penned a message to the former president, which was then sent via the U.K. embassy in Washington, D.C.
Does the Royal Family need extra security?
While Thomas Matthew Crooks was swiftly “neutralized” after his assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the fact that he had any interest in a member of the Royal Family is deeply unsettling. Royal commentator and historian Rafe Heydel-Mankoo told GB News that this incident might make the British public reconsider their open relationship with the royals.
“Whether they’re potential targets or not, we don’t know. But it does actually raise the issue of how secure our members of our Royal Family!” he said. “Our royals are much more accessible. Her Royal Highness was just at Wimbledon! …Obviously we have extremely good security services in our country, but moments like these actually make me wonder if this thing could get so close to President Trump in America do we actually need to reconsider… Like the ability to go, shake hands and present a bunch of flowers to them.”
Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, now based in the U.S., reportedly fear for their safety after Trump’s assassination attempt. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond explained to OK! Magazine that Harry’s military service makes him a prime target. Unfortunately, his family no longer enjoys the same level of security they once did after he and Markle stepped down as senior royals. “His concerns about security for himself and his family are legitimate and the bill they face for their private protection in the States must be enormous,” Bond said. “But that is something they must have understood when they decided to leave royal life and the U.K.”
