King's Senior Equerry to leave the Royal Household and Army at the end of the year
The King and Queen's equerry will leave his role within the Royal Household and the British Army at the end of the year, Buckingham Palace has revealed.
Their Majesties' Senior Equerry, Lieutenant Colonel Jonny Thompson, who has nearly 22 years of military service, plans to pursue a career in the private sector.
"Their Majesties were of course aware of this plan in advance, and I know they are most grateful to Jonny for his support over the past seven years and wish him all the best for the future," the Palace said.
From Sandhurst to Balmoral and beyond
Lt Col Thompson was commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst into The Royal Regiment of Scotland in April 2006.
He would have been one of the very first officers to serve in the newly formed regiment, as it had been formed only a month before he commissioned.
He later served on operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan before commanding Balaklava Company, 5 Scots, based in Edinburgh.
Whilst in command, Lt Col Thompson led the ceremonial and military support for the late Queen's annual residence in Balmoral in 2018 and 2019.
He was subsequently appointed as an Equerry to the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in December 2019, before becoming the King's Equerry in September 2022.
Lt Col Thompson's attendance at Royal events caught the eye of onlookers and the general public, with social media fans dubbing him the "hot equerry" online.
Two years later, he was appointed as a Senior Equerry to the King and Queen.
Throughout his seven years with the Royal Household, he supported the royal family through a period of historic transition after the death of Queen Elizabeth II and across military, constitutional and ceremonial duties, nationally and internationally.
What is an equerry?
An equerry is an officer from one of the armed services who acts as a formal assistant to a senior member of the royal family.
They help oversee the running of their daily diary of official engagements and accompany them on most public duties and overseas tours.
A monarch's equerry would also be expected to look after carriages, coaches and Rolls- Royces used at state ceremonies, including Trooping the Colour and the State Opening of Parliament.
Equerries, who usually spend three years in the role, are often described as the King or Queen's "eyes and ears" and are considered among the most important figures in the royal household.
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