Immediately afterward, the Daily Mirror obtained clearer photos, even a short video recorded by a tourist with a home video camera. Though the footage was shaky, it clearly showed Major Ellis being shot, and the whole process of the prince jumping out of the car and crawling away. The prince's terrified screams and cries in the video were enough to make viewers' hearts pound.
The royal family's image suffered an unprecedented blow. No longer a symbol of dignity, nobility, and calm, but rather an ordinary person rendered helpless and vulnerable in the face of death. For many conservative citizens who view the royal family as the "country's cornerstone" and "spiritual symbol," this kind of image collapse is catastrophic.
London, MI6 headquarters, underground briefing room.
