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 ''Sovereign'' is a title that can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to ...

, a member of a

royal family A royal family is the immediate family of monarchs and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term papal family describes the family of a pope, while th ...

, or a national representative. The role is equivalent to an aide-de-camp, but the term is now prevalent only among some members of the

Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the British Commonwealth or simply the Commonwealth, is an International organization, international association of member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, 56 member states, the vast majo ...

Australia

Australian equerries are commissioned officers in the

Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...

, appointed on an ''ad hoc'' basis to the

King of Australia The monarchy of Australia is a key component of politics of Australia, Australia's form of government, by which a hereditary monarch serves as the country's sovereign and head of state. It is a constitutional monarchy, modelled on the Westmi ...

, Governor General, state governors or to visiting foreign heads of state.

Canada

Canadian equerries are drawn from the commissioned officers of the

Canadian Armed Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...

, 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 Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

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

King of New Zealand The monarchy of New Zealand is the Constitution of New Zealand, constitutional system of government in which a hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of New Zealand. The current monarch is Charles III, Kin ...

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 The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF; ) is the aerial warfare, aerial military service, service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed initially in 1923 as a branch of the New Zealand Army, being known as the New Zealand Perm ...

, was the equerry to the Queen of New Zealand 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. Captain Sam Stevenson of the

New Zealand Army The New Zealand Army (, ) is the principal Army, land warfare force of New Zealand, a component of the New Zealand Defence Force alongside the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Formed in 1845, as the New Zealand Mil ...

served as equerry to the Duke of Cambridge during his 2005 visit to New Zealand. Squadron Leader Marcel 'Shagga' Scott of the

served as equerry to HRH Prince Charles in November 2012. Squadron Leader Tim Costley of the

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

and are drawn from junior officers of the

British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the unified military, military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its British Overseas Territories, Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests ...

(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 The Crown Equerry is the operational head of the Royal Mews of the Royal Household of the Monarch, Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As executive head of the Royal Mews Department, he is responsible for the provision of vehicular transport for the ...

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 In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram or monogram-like device of a country's reigning Monarch, sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a Crown (heral ...

below their badges of rank on the

shoulder board A shoulder mark, also called a rank slide or slip-on, is a flat cloth sleeve worn on the shoulder strap of a uniform. It may bear military rank, rank or other insignia. A shoulder mark should not be confused with a (an elaborate shoulder strap ...

(or equivalent). 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 Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

'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 a senior equerry (Lt Col. Jonathan Thompson), an equerry (Lt Cdr Will Thornton) and two assistant equerries (Capt. Hugh Scrope, Coldstream Guards, and Capt. Kat Anderson,

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

). In 2022 the Queen appointed her own equerry (Maj. Oliver Plunkett,

The Rifles The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions. Each Regular battalion was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the ...

). Individuals who have served as equerry to the King include: Those appointed as extra equerries by King Charles III (since the year 2022) include: * Vice Admiral Sir Tom Blackburn (former Master of the Household) in 2023 * Lieutenant Colonel Sir Andrew Ford (former Comptroller, the Lord Chamberlain's Office) in 2023 *Commodore Anthony Morrow (former commanding officer of HMY Britannia) in 2023 *Admiral Sir George Zambellas (former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff) in 2023 *Lieutenant General Sir Alistair Irwin (former Adjutant-General to the Forces) in 2023 *Lieutenant General Sir John Lorimer ( Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man) in 2023 * Vice Admiral Sir Anthony Johnstone-Burt ( Master of the Household) in 2023 * Lieutenant Colonel Sir Alexander Matheson of Matheson, Bt (Senior Gentleman Usher) in 2023 * Lieutenant Colonel Michael Vernon (Comptroller, the Lord Chamberlain's Office) in 2023 * Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Segrave (Secretary, Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood) in 2023 * Sir Nicholas Bacon, 14th Baronet (former

Lord Warden of the Stannaries The Lord Warden of the Stannaries (from for Tin, Tin, Sn) used to exercise judicial and military functions in Cornwall, England, UK, and is still the official who, upon the commission of the British monarchy, monarch or Duke of Cornwall for the ...

) in 2023 *Commander Richard Aylard (former Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales) in 2023 *Major General Arthur Denaro (former Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst) in 2023 *Sir Stephen Lamport (former Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales) in 2023 * Ashe Windham (formerly extra equerry to the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

) in 2023 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 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

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 The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, monarchy; due to this, it often ...

, who provided part-time attendance, and who (when not required for duty) was assigned to regimental or staff duties. On overseas tours to

Commonwealth realm A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations that has the same constitutional monarch and head of state as the other realms. The current monarch is King Charles III. Except for the United Kingdom, in each of the re ...

s 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 Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

); 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

include: 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.

References

{{Authority control Positions within the British Royal Household Horse-related professions and professionals