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Spectator
6 days ago
- Politics
- Spectator
Assassinations have an awkward tendency to backfire
Plutarch says that Julius Caesar dined with friends the day before he was assassinated. When conversation turned to considering the best way to die, Caesar looked up from the papers he was signing (being in company never stopped him working) and said, without hesitation: 'Unexpectedly.' Thanks partly to Shakespeare, Caesar's has a claim to be one of the two or three best known historical assassinations. Another, plausibly argued here by Simon Ball as one of the most consequential, was that of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914, precipitating the first world war. Without it, the past century might have been unrecognisably different. The war might not have happened at all, or at least not as and when it did; and there might have been neither a second world war nor a Cold War in the forms and on the scale they took. But Ball wastes no time on such beguiling, pointless speculations. Taking Sarajevo as his starting point, he focuses on the impact of assassination on international politics, particularly on reasons for its deployment and reactions to it. But it's a slippery concept. Traditionally, the accepted definition in the Anglosphere was that assassination was murder with a political motive, whereas in the Francophone world it generally meant any premeditated murder. By the late 20th century, however, US and other governments were avoiding the word, decreeing that killings in self-defence were not assassinations and that the very use of the term was misleading, 'a conclusion masquerading as a narrative'. Examining its evolution and increasing popularity over the past century or so, Ball quotes the historian Max Weber arguing that assassination is a product of the modern state, on the grounds that a state can succeed only by monopolising legitimate violence within its territory, which in turn makes assassination a tool for challenging the state. Germany after 1919, Russia between 1905 and 1910, British India, Egypt and Ireland both before and after the creation of Eire all featured bursts of multiple assassinations intended to undermine the ruling powers. Successive British governments usually responded to assassination with what came to be known as the 'liberal script'. This was framed by H.H. Asquith in response to the 1909 murder in South Kensington of an India Office official, Sir Curzon Wyllie, by a Hindu student from University College, London. Asquith viewed assassinations as originating from conspiracies involving very few extremists who were dangerous because of the violence of their methods rather than because they represented the tip of an iceberg. Governments should therefore respond by dealing with the assassins themselves, not by overreacting and killing large numbers of people, even if they were sympathisers, because that might provoke a genuine, broad-based threat to governmental legitimacy. This mostly worked. Although assassinations featured in the struggles for Indian, Egyptian and Irish independence, in the Malayan Emergency and in the establishment of the state of Israel, they were not decisive, and indeed may arguably have hindered the process. As Ball notes: 'Assassination was not the danger. The real danger was support for assassination.' But context makes a difference. Totalitarian states (a Mussolini coinage) combine assassinations with mass killings as a tool of domination; and if the tactic is used against them they usually respond with brutal reprisals. Ball quotes as an example the 1942 assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, the senior SS officer in Czechoslovakia and personal favourite of Hitler. Carried out by Czech members of SOE (Britain's Special Operations Executive), it provoked reprisals of exceptional brutality even by Nazi standards and was later judged a technical success but an operational disaster. In certain benighted periods and places there has even been what Ball calls 'government by assassination'. In 1930s China, for instance, communists and nationalists assassinated each other, their own comrades and warlords, who in turn assassinated other warlords, who were assassinated by the Japanese occupiers, who also assassinated each other or were assassinated by Koreans. Also active were 'assorted anarchists, cultists and narco-assassins, and a sub-culture of professional hitmen'. By 1937, Shanghai had become the acknowledged assassination capital of the world. It was an earlier assassination, however – that of the Manchurian warlord Zhang Zuolin in 1928 – which Ball reckons to be another of the most consequential of the 20th century. Forgotten now by all but specialists, it strengthened Japan's military, weakened Japanese democracy and enabled the conquest of Manchuria. This, in turn, furthered civil war in China, embedded the Japanese military's power base in Tokyo and encouraged its Greater Japan aspirations, leading ultimately to the disastrous decision to go to war with America. As with Gavrilo Princip, the youthful assassin at Sarajevo, the arbitrary law of unintended consequence applies as often to assassination as to acts of good intent. A more obvious consequence of assassinations is of course the removal of political elites from daily contact with their peoples. The phalanxes of guards around US presidents – not invariably effective, as we've seen – are evidence enough. But for Britons of a certain age, the gates of Downing Street are the starkest daily reminder. It is hard to believe now that one could routinely cut through Downing Street and walk within yards of a prime minister getting into their car. In the wake of the murder of Sir David Amess, MPs may now employ bodyguards at their surgeries. Ball doesn't spend much time on methods, beyond noting that sniping by rifle is more common in James Bond films than reality. (J.F. Kennedy's assassination and Donald Trump's near miss were exceptions.) Handguns and bombs have a long history – witness the 1605 Gunpowder Plot's failed attempt on the life of James I and the successful 1812 shooting of Prime Minster Spencer Percival – and remain the weapons of choice, though Islamist extremists have a fondness for knives and Vladimir Putin for poisons. Now that we have targeted killings via drone or missile in undeclared wars between states or state-backed groups, the distinction between assassinations and acts of war is blurred. Most examples quoted by Ball are American – a reflection not only of the far-reaching consequences of 9/11 but of US openness compared with other nations. Although he mentions it, there is much more to be said about the continuous history of assassinations, internal and external, by Russian and Soviet governments since 1917. As for the efficacy of assassination campaigns (not counting murders by individuals prompted by grievance or delusion), Ball is doubtful. Although empires appear to have contained and managed them more successfully than post-imperial nation states, which are more easily thrown into crisis, most VIP murders achieve little or nothing in advancing their cause. Indeed, there is some evidence that it is more effective to assassinate lower-level officials on whom the day-to-day functioning of the state depends. There is also evidence, not adduced in this book, that the capture of terrorist leaders causes more disruption than their killing – or martyrdom, as some would see it. This is a big subject and Ball does well to cover as much as he does. But there should be more to come, especially a detailed analysis of the political and moral effectiveness of assassination as a tactic or strategy. But we can be sure of one thing. It ain't ending any time soon; and Ball won't lack material for a future book.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Rosie Roche: Prince Harry and William's cousin's cause of death as tragic details emerge
Rosie Roche - the granddaughter of Princess Diana's uncle - was found dead by her mum and sister at her home in Wiltshire and the 20-year-old's official cause of death has been revealed A coroner has determined the cause of death of Rosie Roche, the distant cousin of Prince William and Prince Harry. Rosie, 20, was tragically found dead by her family in their home in Wiltshire on Sunday, with a firearm found close to her body. The university student was the granddaughter of Princess Diana 's uncle, making her a second cousin to the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex. During an inquest hearing at Wiltshire and Swindon coroner's court, area coroner Grant Davies said police 'have deemed the death as non-suspicious and there was no third-party involvement', and recorded her cause of death as a 'traumatic head injury'. Rosie, a first year English Literature student, was packing to go on a trip with friends when her body was found by close members of her family. The official inquest into her death has been adjourned until October 25. Professor Wendy Powers, University College principal at Durham University where Rosie studied, said the young woman had made a major impact on both staff and students during her short time at the school, saying she will be missed by all who knew her. 'University College staff and students are extremely saddened by the tragic death of Rosie Roche,' Professor Powers said. 'Rosie was a first year student studying for an English Literature degree. Rosie had settled into the University and College beautifully and had lots of friends. 'She was loved for her creativity, energy, her love of books, poetry and travel among many other talents. She will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and condolences are with Rosie's family and friends, and we are offering support to those affected at this extremely difficult time.' Rosie's family said in a death notice that she was the 'darling daughter' of Hugh and Pippa and an 'incredible sister' to Archie and Agatha, sharing that a private funeral is due to be held, with a memorial service planned for a later date. A Wiltshire Police spokesperson said: 'There are no suspicious circumstances, and our thoughts are with her family. We would ask that their privacy is respected at this terrible time.' Ms Roche's tragic death comes after Thomas Kingston, who married Harry and William's cousin Lady Gabriella in 2019, died in February last year aged just 45 with a firearm next to him. The financier suffered a "traumatic head wound", and a gun was found near to his body in an outbuilding at his parents home in the Cotswolds, an inquest opening at Gloucestershire Coroners Court heard. Police said they were satisfied the death was not suspicious. The former financier, who studied economic history at Bristol University, had numerous brushes with death - the most notable being a suicide bombing at the church in 2004, which claimed 22 lives.
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Harry & William's cousin Rosie Roche's tragic cause of death revealed after she died at home while packing for trip away
A CORONER has revealed the cause of death of the 20-year-old cousin of Princes William and Harry. Rosie Roche, the granddaughter of Princess Diana 's uncle, was discovered dead by her mum and sister at her family home on July 14. 4 Rosie Roche was discovered with a firearm near her Credit: Facebook 4 The 20-year-old is a cousin of William and Harry Credit: Getty 4 Princess Diana with her aunt, Mary Roche (centre), Rosie's grandmother Rosie was found with a firearm near her at the property in Norton, Wiltshire. The English Literature student was discovered in the house after she had been packing to go away with friends. Opening an inquest at Revealing the cause of death, Mr Davies said that Rosie had died from a gunshot wound to her head. Read more in Royals He added: "Rosie was getting ready to go away with friends and was packing her belongings at home. "Philippa, her mum, and Agatha, her sister, were outside and then they returned inside the home address. "Upon checking the office in the house, Agatha found Rosie deceased and she was slumped over a firearm with significant head trauma. "The ambulance attended and confirmed the death at 1.22pm that day. Most read in Royals "Police attended and have deemed the death as non-suspicious and there was no third-party involvement. "A post-mortem was carried out by Dr Harry Haynes from Great Western Hospital and provided the cause of death as being destruction of intercranial contents and discharge from a firearm." The inquest has now been adjourned until October 25. Mr Davies added: "Again, as stated, and confirmation that blood and urine has been sent for toxicological analysis. Prince Harry follows in mum Princess Diana's footsteps as he walks among landmines in Angola "I'm now going to adjourn this inquest in order to gather pertinent evidence in this case. "I will adjourn the matter to October 23 for a pre-inquest review on that date." Her family paid tribute in a death notification, writing: 'Darling daughter of Hugh and Pippa, incredible sister to Archie and Agatha, Granddaughter to Derek and Rae Long.' Professor Wendy Powers, Principal of Durham's University College, said: 'University College staff and students are extremely saddened by the tragic death of Rosie Roche. 'Rosie was a first-year student studying for an English Literature degree. Rosie had settled into the University and College beautifully and had lots of friends. 'She was loved for her creativity, energy, her love of books, poetry and travel among many other talents. She will be sorely missed. 'Our thoughts and condolences are with Rosie's family and friends, and we are offering support to those affected at this extremely difficult time'. It comes after Katy Skerrett, senior coroner for Gloucestershire, had recorded a narrative verdict and said Both Rosie's family and a spokesman for Prince William declined to comment. 4 Emergency services at the address in Wiltshire Credit: SWNS You're Not Alone EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, Papyrus, Samaritans,
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Harry & William's cousin Rosie Roche's tragic cause of death revealed after she died at home while packing for trip away
A CORONER has revealed the cause of death of the 20-year-old cousin of Princes William and Harry. Rosie Roche, the granddaughter of Princess Diana's uncle, was discovered dead by her mum and sister at her family home on July 14. 4 Rosie Roche was discovered with a firearm near her Credit: Facebook 4 The 20-year-old is a cousin of William and Harry Credit: Getty 4 Princess Diana with her aunt, Mary Roche (centre), Rosie's grandmother Rosie was found with a firearm near her at the property in Norton, Wiltshire. The English Literature student was discovered in the house after she had been packing to go away with friends. Opening an inquest at Wiltshire and Swindon coroner's court, area coroner Grant Davies confirmed that a post-mortem had been carried out. Revealing the cause of death, Mr Davies said that Rosie had died from a gunshot wound to her head. He added: "Rosie was getting ready to go away with friends and was packing her belongings at home. "Philippa, her mum, and Agatha, her sister, were outside and then they returned inside the home address. "Upon checking the office in the house, Agatha found Rosie deceased and she was slumped over a firearm with significant head trauma. "The ambulance attended and confirmed the death at 1.22pm that day. "Police attended and have deemed the death as non-suspicious and there was no third-party involvement. "A post-mortem was carried out by Dr Harry Haynes from Great Western Hospital and provided the cause of death as being destruction of intercranial contents and discharge from a firearm." The inquest has now been adjourned until October 25. Mr Davies added: "Again, as stated, and confirmation that blood and urine has been sent for toxicological analysis. Prince Harry follows in mum Princess Diana's footsteps as he walks among landmines in Angola "I'm now going to adjourn this inquest in order to gather pertinent evidence in this case. "I will adjourn the matter to October 23 for a pre-inquest review on that date." Her family paid tribute in a death notification, writing: 'Darling daughter of Hugh and Pippa, incredible sister to Archie and Agatha, Granddaughter to Derek and Rae Long.' Rosie had been studying English Literature at Durham University. Professor Wendy Powers, Principal of Durham's University College, said: 'University College staff and students are extremely saddened by the tragic death of Rosie Roche. 'Rosie was a first-year student studying for an English Literature degree. Rosie had settled into the University and College beautifully and had lots of friends. 'She was loved for her creativity, energy, her love of books, poetry and travel among many other talents. She will be sorely missed. 'Our thoughts and condolences are with Rosie's family and friends, and we are offering support to those affected at this extremely difficult time'. It comes after Thomas Kingston, husband of Harry and William's cousin Lady Gabriella Kingston, died from a head injury, with a gun found nearby, in February 2024. Katy Skerrett, senior coroner for Gloucestershire, had recorded a narrative verdict and said Mr Kingston had taken his own life. Both Rosie's family and a spokesman for Prince William declined to comment. 4 Emergency services at the address in Wiltshire Credit: SWNS
Express Tribune
22-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Rosie Roche, cousin of Princes William and Harry, cause of death officially confirmed
Rosie Roche, a cousin of Prince William and Prince Harry and a student at Durham University, has died at the age of 20. Her cause of death has been confirmed as a traumatic head injury, with a firearm found near her body, according to Wiltshire and Swindon area coroner Grant Davies as per DailyMail. Roche was discovered at her family's home in Norton, Wiltshire, on July 14 by her sister Agatha. The coroner stated that Rosie had been preparing for a trip with friends and was packing when her body was found in the home's office. 'She was slumped over a firearm with significant head trauma,' Davies said during the inquest opening on Sunday. Police determined there was no third-party involvement, and the death is not being treated as suspicious. Emergency services responded to the scene around 1 p.m., including armed officers and paramedics. A family spokesperson described Rosie as a 'darling daughter' to her parents, Hugh and Pippa, and an 'incredible sister' to Archie and Agatha. 'She will be sorely missed,' the statement said. Rosie was a descendant of the Barons Fermoy and the granddaughter of the 5th Baron Fermoy, Edmund Roche, who died by suicide in 1984. She was studying English Literature at Durham University, where she had just completed her first year. Professor Wendy Powers, Principal of University College, paid tribute, noting Rosie's 'creativity, energy, and love of books, poetry and travel.' She added that Rosie 'had settled into university life beautifully' and had formed many friendships. A private funeral will be held, with a public memorial service planned for a later date. The inquest has been adjourned until October 25. Both Kensington Palace and Prince Harry's representatives have declined to comment on the matter, asking for privacy for the family.
