After the ‘scorching equerry’, meet extra navy hunks the royals depend on

With his brooding attractiveness, dashing manner and penchant for carrying a kilt, it is no surprise Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Thompson, royal equerry to King Charles, attracted legions of adoring followers as His Majesty’s right-hand man.

The good-looking public servant, 40, was beforehand one of many Queen’s most senior bodyguards and rose to prominence throughout the Coronation final May. He has since been a continuing on the King’s aspect, with swooning admirers dubbing him ‘the recent equerry’ and ‘Major Eye Candy’.

Indeed, on current royal walkabouts, the Lieutenant Colonel has been getting extra cheers than Charles himself; on the state go to to France final autumn, native newspapers stated he had induced an unwitting ‘coup d’etat’, setting French hearts aflutter in his trademark green-and-black kilt and conventional fur sporran.

Now, nevertheless, his time within the highlight has come to an finish, with information that the Army officer has moved to a ‘much less public-facing position’ within the royal family – reportedly as a result of he did not like the eye.

Dealing with devoted followers isn’t within the job description, in spite of everything: an equerry is an officer of the royal family, who acts as a loyal aide to one in every of The Firm. They are, explains a royal insider, ‘massively vital positions, not solely as a result of they supply a hyperlink between monarchy and the navy, but additionally as a result of they do an enormous quantity of labor in planning royal diaries, organising engagements and logistics.’

Appointed by working members of the royal household, equerries – who spend three years within the job – are drawn from junior officers of the British Armed Forces. This means most equerries are younger, in a position (the creme de la creme of the navy), and spend their years in service actively attending their royal grasp or mistress, whether or not at residence or out on public engagements.

Not all are male, after all: certainly, Charles – who has two equerries – just lately broke with custom by appointing the primary feminine equerry to a sovereign: 33-year-old Captain Kat Anderson, an officer with the Royal Artillery and former aide to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Most spend their careers toiling behind the scenes. Others, like Johnny, discover themselves thrust into the general public eye – some for extra frivolous causes than others.

Princess Margaret famously fell in love together with her father’s equerry, Captain Peter Townsend, in a controversial and tumultuous royal romance, whereas Princess Anne‘s husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, began his profession as equerry to her mom, Queen Elizabeth II.

Though many could also be mourning Johnny’s departure, royal watchers needn’t cease swooning simply but. There are loads extra equerries who’re simply as straightforward on the attention – although none, admittedly, who’re fairly as prone to get their legs out within the line of responsibility.

Major Oliver ‘Ollie’ Plunket

Equerry to: Queen Camilla

Regiment: The Rifles

At 29, Major Ollie Plunket, equerry to Queen Camilla, has youth on his aspect – and, not like a lot of his colleagues, he is reportedly single.

A kinsman of the ninth Lord Plunket, he serves in The Rifles, the regiment of which Camilla has been colonel-in-chief since 2020, after succeeding Prince Philip, and was appointed as her equerry in November 2022.

With his hanging blonde hair and blue eyes, the athletic aide first got here to public consideration throughout the Coronation, when followers noticed him processing in full navy regalia alongside the King and dubbed him ‘the recent man’ on the Abbey.

He was later seen grinning alongside Kate, Princess of Wales, on the royal carol live performance at Kensington Palace in 2022.

He had fairly the profession earlier than becoming a member of The Firm. While nonetheless in his teenagers, Major Plunket undertook a solo bike journey – overlaying a distance of 24,500 miles – which started in Argentina and led to Alaska, throughout which he raised £100,000 for wounded servicemen. During his abroad journey, the courageous officer even survived a treacherous rock fall.

Camilla is claimed to ‘adore’ him, having handpicked him to work at her aspect – and earlier this month was delighted to fulfill his mom, an artist who creates taxidermy items, at a tour of an artwork studio in west London.

Lieutenant Commander Rob Dixon

Equerry to: Prince William

Regiment: Royal Navy

A navy man who’s spent greater than 20 years working within the Navy, Lieutenant Commander Rob Dixon has been a trusted right-hand man to Prince William since September 2020.

He caught the eye of royal followers in April 2021, when he was noticed alongside the Princess of Wales throughout the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Windsor Castle. Since then Lieutenant Commander Dixon – or Rob to his buddies – has been seen at a wide range of royal occasions, together with the vigil at Westminster Abbey in honour of Queen Elizabeth II.

Sports fan Rob has additionally made a number of appearances on the polo, and turned out in a prime hat and tails at Royal Ascot, the place – in scenes that set pulses racing – he was noticed deep in dialog with Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Thompson.

Immaculately introduced, he boasts a bouffant coiffure, designer stubble and a profitable smile. To his fanbase’s frustration, nevertheless, he is very personal: his age is unknown, and he retains his residence life carefully underneath wraps.

Rob’s CV is spectacular: he has labored as a helicopter teacher and piloted a Wildcat, one of many Navy’s strongest helicopters.

He attended Dr Challoner’s Grammar School in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, adopted by the Joint Services Command and Staff College in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire. On his LinkedIn profile, he describes himself as ‘a frontrunner’, noting that he additionally ‘operates nicely as a part of the staff’.

He’s received a navy medal to his identify, too: in 2015, he was awarded a prestigious Green Endorsement, reserved for extraordinary actions, for his ‘velocity of thought, judgment and whole professionalism’ whereas on responsibility.

A supply says he is a ‘assured’ member of the royal family, including: ‘He and William work very well collectively, not least as a result of they’re each helicopter nuts.’

Captain George Hopkins

Equerry to: The Duke of Kent

Regiment: Scots Guards

One of the newer equerries on the royal employees record, Captain George Hopkins works for Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, cousin to the late Queen.

He rose to prominence final November when the duke, 88, missed the Remembrance Sunday service on the Cenotaph for well being causes and the younger officer, whose age is unknown, laid a wreath on his behalf.

Hailing from East Sussex, he serves within the Scots Guards, one of many 5 Foot Guards regiments of the Army, whose troopers are famend for his or her self-discipline and braveness – and put on distinctive crimson tunics and bearskin hats.

Though little is thought about his background, George is believed to be firmly off the market, having married his spouse, Olivia, who works in finance, final 12 months.

Captain Stuart Kaye

Equerry to: Princess Anne

Regiment: The Household Cavalry

Sandhurst-trained Captain Stuart Kaye, equerry to Princess Anne, has drawn various admiring glances through the years – and just lately accompanied his royal mistress to Namibia, the place she was attending the funeral of the late president.

Now in his early thirties, Captain Kaye attended King’s School Bruton in Somerset earlier than learning politics and fashionable historical past at Cardiff University. He went on to do a Master’s diploma at University College London, beginning his profession as an intern on the Association of British Insurers, earlier than becoming a member of the navy in 2018.

The dashing officer has served as Squadron Second-in-Command at Bulford Barracks and Mounted Troop Leader for The Household Cavalry, earlier than being appointed to his equerry position in September 2022.

Princess Anne hand-picked him for his professionalism and aptitude in public duties – although royal watchers have identified that he does not look half-bad in his ceremonial uniform, full with silver-plumed helmet, gold tassels and sword, both.

Lieutenant Colonel Tom White

Equerry to: previously Queen Elizabeth II, now personal secretary to Kate, Princess of Wales

Regiment: Royal Marines

An ex-Royal Marines officer who served in Afghanistan, Lieutenant Colonel Tom White has received gallantry in spades – and bears an uncanny resemblance to Roger Federer, the tennis ace who simply so occurs to be a buddy of Kate.

In what many dubbed an unconventional transfer, she appointed the previous royal equerry – who served Queen Elizabeth II from 2020 till her loss of life – as her personal secretary simply final month, having been with out one since October 2022.

The Lieutenant Colonel was invited to ‘take a look at the waters’ by accompanying Kate at a public occasion final 12 months – and he turns into the primary male to ever maintain the place.

He’s used to firsts: when he took up the place of ‘Queen’s Squire’ in 2020, he was the primary Royal Marines commando to take action. A royal supply says he is returned to the fold, albeit in a special position, as he is ‘so well-liked’ by each member of the family.

A battle hero, he helped avert tragedy in Afghanistan in 2009 when, as a member of 42 Commando, he was a part of a staff which defused a booby entice bomb in a faculty in Helmand, after wires had been noticed underneath the door earlier than it detonated.

Tom, 22 on the time, was reported as saying: ‘It turns your abdomen to suppose what might have occurred if we hadn’t discovered the bombs. These folks knew they may have blown loads of youngsters sky excessive – they usually did not care.’

Now 36 and a father himself, the previous Marine has been described as a ‘celebrity’ by his superiors and was personally chosen by the late Monarch to behave as her eyes and ears.

He has intimate expertise of royal operations, in addition to a eager eye for safety, making him a great candidate to work for the Princess of Wales.

Kate, who was in hospital for 13 days for belly surgical procedure in January, isn’t anticipated to return to public duties till June – when all eyes might be peeled for the good-looking new rent at her aspect.