Lt Col Jonny Thompson is leaving the British Army after 22 years of military service, Buckingham Palace has announced.
Jonny Thomspon is leaving the Royal Household (Image: Getty)
The King and Queen’s senior equerry, Lieutenant Colonel Jonny Thompson will leave the Royal Household at the end of the year, Buckingham Palace has announced. He has decided to leave the British Army after nearly 22 years of military service in favour of a career in the private sector. A Palace spokesperson said: “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 dashing equerry, who has gone viral multiple times after his appearances with the Royal Family, has made the decision after he and his wife, Olivia, welcomed a daughter in May. The couple tied the knot the previous summer, and he has a son with his ex-wife, Caroline Thompson.
Jonny, of the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, joined the army in 2006, aged 22, and steadily worked his way up the ranks. He worked as the late Queen’s most senior bodyguard before becoming senior equerry to Charles after her death.
An equerry is responsible for planning and executing the monarch’s public duties and often accompanies members of the Royal Family at public events.
The kilt-wearing Lt Col first shot to fame when he escorted the late Queen Elizabeth for a battalion review at Balmoral Castle in August 2018, and was later appointed the King’s personal equerry under the new reign. He has been seen by Charles’s side for key events, such as the Coronation, where he helped the King into his ceremonial robes.
He recently accompanied the King and Queen on their tour to the US and the monarch’s subsequent solo visit to Bermuda.
Jonny accompanied his boss to the King’s Trust Gala in New York City, where he chatted with lifestyle mogul Martha Stewart, who gushed about the encounter online.
Sharing a photo of her alongside the equerry, she wrote: “Can’t believe I got this close to the ‘hot equerry’ Johnny Thompson, aide de camp to His Majesty, the King. We actually spoke while waiting for King Charles to get to us for a few words. Totally charming, completely cool, exceedingly handsome.”
