Royal family member targeted in Trump shooter's pre-attack surveillance

An unnamed member of the royal family faced serious security threat ahead of attack on the former US president Donald Trump, according to a new report.

The man, who tried to kill former President Trump, searched online for a member of the royal family as he was planning his attack, FBI investigators have revealed.

Thomas Crooks, 20, was killed by the US Secret Service after he fired at the former president at a rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania on Saturday.

A royal family member was reportedly researched by the attacker just days before his terrifying act, according to the investigators.

Investigators told Congress that Crooks had searched online for various high-profile figures as he "scoped out" a target for assassination, including an unnamed member of the British royal family.

The shooter had images of Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, on his phone, according to National Public Radio. Sources close to the investigation have also revealed the same details to Daily Mail.

Crooks had searched for information about the 42-year-old royal in addition to looking at Donald Trump, President Joe Biden, FBI Director Christopher Wray and US Attorney General Merrick Garland.

It is not yet clear why Crooks was looking up Kate - the only non-American in the group of people found in his internet search history.

The shooter reportedly also searched for Christopher Wray, the director of the FBI, and Merrick Garland, the US Attorney General.

The shooting appeared to be planned just days in advance, as Crooks went to a local club the day before and practised on the rifle range, lawyers for the Clairton Sportsmen's Club confirmed to ABC News.

US law enforcers and investigators are  trying to know Crooks's possible motive for the attack, including by downloading the content of two mobile phones he owned.