Equerry

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

An equerry (/ɪˈkwɛri, ˈɛkwəri/; from French écurie 'stable', and related to écuyer '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 now prevalent only in the Commonwealth of Nations.

Australia[edit]

Australian equerries are commissioned officers in the Australian Defence Force, appointed on an ad hoc basis to the Queen of Australia, Governor General, state governors or to visiting foreign heads of state.[1]

Canada[edit]

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 Queen 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.

Canadian equerries are also sometimes appointed to serve national representatives of the country. Colonel the Hon Henry Jackman of The Governor General's Horse Guards, Canada's Household Cavalry regiment, is the equerry to Akaash Maharaj, in the latter's role as head of UNICEF Team Canada.[2]

New Zealand[edit]

New Zealand equerries are appointed to serve the Queen 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.

Squadron Leader Leanne Woon of the Operational Support Squadron, part of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, was the equerry to the Queen of New Zealand during the most recent royal visit in 2002. She is the only woman to serve as an equerry to the monarch anywhere in the Commonwealth.[3] Captain Sam Stevenson of the New Zealand Army served as equerry to the Duke of Cambridge during his 2005 visit to New Zealand.[4] 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[edit]

Three Mounted Equerries in Waiting at the Queen's Birthday Parade (2018): Colonel Toby Browne (the Crown Equerry), Lieutenant Colonel Michael Vernon (an Extra Equerry), Major Nana Twumasi-Ankrah (Equerry in Waiting).[5]

In the UK equerries are appointed by working members of the Royal Family and are drawn from senior officers of the British Armed Forces. The role involves being in regular close attendance both within the royal residence and outside on public engagements.[6]

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 to HM The Queen[edit]

The Queen has two equerries: the senior equerry is a permanent appointment (joined to the position of Deputy Master of the Household); whereas the junior equerry (who holds office for three years) is appointed in turn from each of the three services of the British Armed Forces.[6] There is also a Temporary Equerry (a captain of the Coldstream Guards) who provides part-time attendance; when not required for duty they will have additional regimental or staff duties. On overseas tours to Commonwealth realms an Equerry may be appointed from the local armed forces for the duration of the tour.[6]

Individuals who have served as equerry to Elizabeth II include:

Years Name Regiment Notes
1952–1954 Captain Sir Harold Campbell, KCVO DSO[7] Royal Navy
1952-1953 Major Sir Michael Adeane, KCVO CB[7] Coldstream Guards
1952-1953 Group Captain Peter Townsend, CVO DSO DFC Bar[7] Royal Air Force
1952–1954 Captain Viscount Althorp, MVO[8] Royal Scots Greys
1952–1975 Lieutenant-Colonel The Lord Plunket, KCVO[7] 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[9] Royal Air Force Temporary
c. 1964 Squadron Leader M J P Walmsley Royal Air Force
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 Sir Timothy Laurence, KCVO 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–present 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[10] 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 Major Tom White Royal Marines[11]

Extra Equerries[edit]

Those appointed as Extra Equerries this century have included:

Senior courtiers often continue as Extra Equerries (or may be appointed to the position) after retirement; as such, they are sometimes called upon to represent the Queen e.g. at funerals or memorial services for former colleagues.[22]

Equerries to other members of the Royal Family[edit]

Other working members of the Royal Family have also usually appointed Equerries. In the case of more junior members the appointment might be combined with another post. Senior royals have often had an equerry appointed in rotation from one of the three armed services, and have also had Temporary Equerries appointed (e.g. the Duke of Edinburgh used to have one appointed from the Grenadier Guards, the Queen Mother one from the Irish Guards, the Prince of Wales one from the Welsh Guards).[6] They may also appoint Extra Equerries.

Insignia[edit]

Equerries, Temporary Equerries and Extra Equerries are entitled to wear aiguillettes and to wear the appropriate royal cypher below their badges of rank on the shoulder board (or equivalent).[23]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ PACMAN Archived 12 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Chapter 10, Part 3, Australian Defence Force, retrieved 20 February 2012
  2. ^ "He Lives by the Sword", Globe and Mail, 17 February 2007
  3. ^ "Transsexual MP greets the Queen as she lands in New Zealand" Archived 17 August 2004 at the Wayback Machine, The Daily Telegraph, 22 February 2002
  4. ^ "NZ envoy among diplomatic guests". NZ Herald. 24 April 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  5. ^ Court Circular, 9 June 2018
  6. ^ a b c d Allison, Ronald; Riddell, Sarah, eds. (1991). The Royal Encyclopedia. London: Macmillan. p. 176.
  7. ^ a b c d Supplement to the London Gazette, Issue 39616, Page 4198, 1 August 1952
  8. ^ Royal Household of Buckingham Palace. "Diana, Princess of Wales biography". Royal.gov.uk, the official website of the British Monarchy. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Earl Spencer was Equerry to George VI from 1950 to 1952, and to The Queen from 1952 to 1954.
  9. ^ Jever Steam Laundry. "Air Commodore Henten Sylvester (Tony) Carver CBE, LVO". www.rafjever.org, Jever Steam Laundry promotes the irreverent camaraderie that epitomised No 122 Wing at RAF Jever. Tony was then OC DFCS as Sqn Ldr until November 1958 when he was selected for a long tour as Equerry to HM The Queen
  10. ^ "Court Circular: August 20 2012". The Times. 20 August 2012. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  11. ^ Nikkhah, Roya (Royal Correspondent) (15 November 2020). "Royal Marines buoyed to see officer land in palace as Queen's equerry". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  12. ^ Court Circular, 1 October 2019
  13. ^ Court Circular, 1 January 2015
  14. ^ The Navy Directory 2019 (PDF). London: Ministry of Defence. 2020. p. 2.
  15. ^ Court Circular, 7 May 2006
  16. ^ Court Circular, 26 July 2005
  17. ^ Court Circular, 3 February 2005
  18. ^ Court Circular, 18 October 2001
  19. ^ Court Circular, 23 February 2001
  20. ^ Court Circular, 2 November 2000
  21. ^ Court Circular, 30 January 2000
  22. ^ Court Circular, various dates
  23. ^ Army Dress Regulations, Part 10
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Equerry&oldid=1094100855"