Equerry

An equerry (; from French 'stable', and related to 'squire') is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a sovereign, a member of a royal family, or a national representative. The role is equivalent to an aide-de-camp, but the term is prevalent only among some members of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Australia Australian equerries are commissioned officers in the Australian Defence Force, appointed on an ad hoc basis to the King of Australia, Governor General, state governors or to visiting foreign heads of state.PACMAN , Chapter 10, Part 3, Australian Defence Force, retrieved 20 February 2012

Canada Canadian equerries are drawn from the commissioned officers of the Canadian Armed Forces, and are most frequently appointed to serve visiting members of the Canadian Royal Family. The equerry appointed for the King of Canada is a senior officer, typically a major or a lieutenant-commander, while the equerry appointed for a child of the monarch is a junior officer, typically a captain or naval lieutenant.

New Zealand New Zealand equerries are appointed to serve the monarch of New Zealand only for the duration of a royal visit to the country, and are always drawn from the officers of the New Zealand Defence Force, typically captains, flight lieutenants, and navy lieutenants.

Flight Lieutenant John Hamilton was equerry to Queen Elizabeth II when she and the Duke of Edinburgh visited New Zealand in 1981. Squadron Leader Leanne Woon of the Operational Support Squadron, part of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, was the equerry to the Queen during the most recent royal visit in 2002. She was the only woman to serve as an equerry to the monarch anywhere in the Commonwealth until the appointment of Captain Katherine Anderson Royal Artillery as the British Equerry to King Charles III in 2024."Transsexual MP greets the Queen as she lands in New Zealand" , The Daily Telegraph, 22 February 2002 Captain Sam Stevenson of the New Zealand Army served as equerry to the Duke of Cambridge during his 2005 visit to New Zealand. Squadron Leader Marcel 'Shagga' Scott of the Royal New Zealand Air Force served as equerry to HRH Prince Charles in November 2012. Squadron Leader Tim Costley of the Royal New Zealand Air Force served as equerry to the Duke of Cambridge during the 2014 Royal visit to New Zealand by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George.

United Kingdom

In the UK equerries are appointed by working members of the royal family and are drawn from junior officers of the British Armed Forces (normally captains or majors). The role involves being in regular close attendance both within the royal residence and outside on public engagements.

The Royal Household also includes a number of "extra equerries" – honorary appointees drawn from among the current and retired senior officers of the Royal Household. They are comparatively rarely required for duty, but their attendance can be called upon if needed.

The Crown Equerry is in charge of the Royal Mews Department and holds a distinct office.

Equerries, temporary equerries and extra equerries are entitled to wear aiguillettes as part of their uniform, and to wear the appropriate royal cypher below their badges of rank on the shoulder board (or equivalent).Army Dress Regulations, Part 10 Army officers serving as equerries or extra equerries may wear a distinctive cocked hat (with red and white upright feathers) when on duty in full dress uniform.

Present day At the time of King Charles III's accession to the throne, the 'Household of the former Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall' included two equerries.

As of February 2024 the King's Household included individuals who have served as equerries: Years Name Unit Notes 2022– Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan "Jonny" Thompson Royal Regiment of Scotland Promoted to Senior Equerry in 2023 2024–2025Commander Will ThorntonRoyal Navy 2024–Captain Hugh ScropeColdstream GuardsAssistant Equerry 2024–Captain Kat AndersonRoyal ArtilleryAssistant Equerry; first female equerry to any sovereign

Those appointed as extra equerries by King Charles III (since the year 2022) include: Years Name Unit Notes 2023 Vice Admiral Sir Tom Blackburn Royal Navy former Master of the Household 2023Lieutenant Colonel Sir Andrew FordGrenadier Guards/Welsh Guardsformer Comptroller, the Lord Chamberlain's Office 2023Commodore Anthony MorrowRoyal Navyformer commanding officer of HMY Britannia 2023Admiral Sir George Zambellas Royal Navyformer First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff 2023Lieutenant General Sir Alistair Irwin Black Watchformer Adjutant-General to the Forces 2023Lieutenant General Sir John LorimerParachute RegimentLieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man 2023Vice Admiral Sir Anthony Johnstone-BurtRoyal NavyMaster of the Household 2023Lieutenant Colonel Sir Alexander Matheson of Matheson, 8th BaronetColdstream GuardsSenior Gentleman Usher 2023Lieutenant Colonel Sir Michael VernonColdstream Guardsformer Comptroller, the Lord Chamberlain's Office 2023Lieutenant Colonel Stephen SegraveIrish GuardsSecretary, Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood 2023Sir Nicholas Bacon, 14th Baronet former Lord Warden of the Stannaries 2023Commander Richard Aylard Royal Navyformer Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales 2023Major General Arthur DenaroQueen's Royal Hussarsformer Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst 2023Sir Stephen Lamportformer Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales 2023Ashe Windham Irish Guardsformerly extra equerry to the Prince of Wales

Since 2022, Queen Camilla has appointed her own equerry, including: Years Name Unit Notes 2025– Major Rob Treasure The Rifles 2022–2025Major Oliver PlunketThe Rifles

Other working members of the Royal Family can also appoint Equerries; in the case of more junior members the appointment might be combined with another post. Like the monarch, they may also appoint extra equerries.

Past

For most of her reign Queen Elizabeth II maintained an establishment of two equerries plus a temporary equerry: the senior equerry was a permanent appointment (joined to the position of Deputy Master of the Household); whereas the junior equerry (who routinely held office for three years) was appointed in turn from each of the three services of the British Armed Forces. The temporary equerry was a captain of the Coldstream Guards, who provided part-time attendance, and who (when not required for duty) was assigned to regimental or staff duties.

On overseas tours to Commonwealth realms an equerry was often appointed from the local armed forces to serve for the duration of the tour.

At her funeral, the late Queen's senior equerry and junior equerry, ten past equerries and two extra equerries marched together as pallbearers (following a custom established by Queen Victoria); in this role (which is separate from that of the bearer party which carried the coffin) they walked immediately alongside the late Queen's coffin in each of the state funeral processions which took place in London and Windsor.

Individuals who served as equerry to Elizabeth II include: Years Name Regiment Notes 1952–1954 Captain Sir Harold Campbell, KCVO DSO Royal Navy 1952–1953 Major Sir Michael Adeane, KCVO CB Coldstream Guards 1952–1953 Group Captain Peter Townsend, CVO DSO DFC Bar Royal Air Force 1952–1954 Captain Viscount Althorp, MVO Royal Scots Greys 1952–1975 Lieutenant-Colonel The Lord Plunket, KCVO Irish Guards also Deputy Master of the Household (from 1954) 1952–1953 Wing Commander Peter Horsley, AFC Royal Air Force 1953 Major Sepala Attygalle 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards 1954–1957 Lieutenant-Commander David Loram, LVO Royal Navy 1956–1959 Captain Richard Vickers, LVO Royal Tank Regiment Temporary c. 1959 Lieutenant-Commander P C D Campbell Royal Navy 1958–1963 Squadron Leader Henton Sylvester Carver, CBE LVO Royal Air Force Temporary c. 1964 Squadron Leader M J P Walmsley 1962–1965 Lieutenant-Commander John Garnier, LVO Royal Navy Temporary 1965–1968 Major Charles Howard, LVO 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards 1968–1971 Lieutenant-Commander Jock Slater, LVO Royal Navy 1971–1974 Squadron Leader Peter Beer, LVO Royal Air Force 1974–1977 Major G R S Broke, MVO Royal Artillery 1976–1994 Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Blair Stewart-Wilson, KCVO Scots Guards also Deputy Master of the Household 1977–1980 Lieutenant-Commander Robert Guy, MVO Royal Navy 1980–1983 Squadron Leader Adam Wise, LVO MBE Royal Air Force 1983–1986 Major Hugh Lindsay, LVO 9th/12th Royal Lancers 1986–1989 Lieutenant-Commander Timothy Laurence, MVO Royal Navy 1989–1992 Squadron Leader David Walker, OBE MVO Royal Air Force 1992–1995 Major James Patrick, MVO Irish Guards 1994–1999 Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Guy Acland, Bt LVO Royal Artillery also Deputy Master of the Household 1995–1998 Lieutenant-Commander Toby Williamson, MVO Royal Navy 1998–2001 Squadron Leader Simon Brailsford, MVO Royal Air Force 1999–2022 Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony Charles Richards, CVO Welsh Guards also Deputy Master of the Household 2001–2004 Major James Duckworth-Chad, MVO Coldstream Guards 2004–2007 Commander Heber Ackland, MVO Royal Navy 2007–2010 Wing Commander Andrew Calame, MVO MBE Royal Air Force 2010–2012 Lieutenant Colonel Dan Rex, MVO Royal Gurkha Rifles 2012–2015 Lieutenant Commander Andrew Canale, MVO Royal Navy 2015–2017 Wing Commander Samuel P. Fletcher, MVO Royal Air Force 2017–2020 Lieutenant-Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, MVO Blues and Royals 2020–2022 Lieutenant-Colonel Tom White MVO Royal Marines

Those appointed by Elizabeth II as extra equerries (since the year 2000) included: Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Segrave (Secretary, Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood) in 2019 Lieutenant Colonel Michael Vernon (then Secretary, Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, now Comptroller, the Lord Chamberlain's Office) in 2015 Vice Admiral Tony Johnstone-Burt (Master of the Household) Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Matheson, younger of Matheson (then Secretary, Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, now Senior Gentleman Usher) in 2006 Lieutenant Colonel Sir Andrew Ford (Comptroller, the Lord Chamberlain's Office) in 2005 Air Vice Marshal David Walker (Master of the Household) in 2005 Group Captain Timothy Hewlett (Director of Royal Travel) in 2001 Vice Admiral Sir James Weatherall (former Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps) in 2001 Vice Admiral Tom Blackburn (Master of the Household) in 2000 Lieutenant Colonel Robert Cartwright (Secretary, Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood) in 2000 Senior courtiers often continued as extra equerries (or could be appointed to the position) after retirement; as such, they were sometimes called upon to represent the Queen e.g. at funerals or memorial services for former colleagues.

Other senior royals generally followed the Queen's pattern of appointing an equerry from one of the three armed services, in rotation; and of appointing a temporary equerry, often from a regiment with which they had personal links: e.g. the Duke of Edinburgh used to appoint a temporary equerry from the Grenadier Guards, the Queen Mother one from the Irish Guards, the Prince of Wales one from the Welsh Guards.

Equerry

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