Man, King Charles is really cleaning house, huh? Last month, we learned that Charles’ private secretary – his de facto chief-of-staff – Clive Alderton would be stepping down next year. There are also reports that Charles’ longtime butler, Bernie Flannery, recently retired from service. And now this: Jonny Thompson is leaving. Thompson served as Charles’ senior equerry. Thompson became famous several years back when people saw photos of him and dubbed him “the hot equerry.” Like, he’s genuinely one of the most attractive men ever to serve the monarchy. And now he’s quitting his low-paying job.
Lt Col Jonny Thompson, the King’s popular senior equerry, is to leave the Royal Household after quitting the British Army.
The 43-year-old, who attracted a cult social media following after turning heads in his kilt, will leave his role at the end of the year. He plans to pursue a career in the private sector.
Mr Thompson, who has served with the Army for nearly 22 years, officially informed the King and Queen of his decision on Tuesday.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman 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.”
News of his departure follows that of Sir Clive Alderton, the King’s long-serving principal private secretary, who will step back next May, and Bernie Flannery, his butler of more than 40 years, who left in August.
Question: are all of these retirements connected? Is Charles actually “cleaning house” or is this something else? The thing is, the “cleaning house” narrative makes zero sense when it’s about a butler’s retirement and an equerry’s retirement. Those are not jobs which factor into the larger changes of the monarchy. That being said, it’s extremely notable that Charles will have new people around him at every level.
Photos courtesy of Getty Images.
No famous kilt pics?
Kaiser, I confess myself disappointed.
Fingers crossed he’s headed either to Harry’s team or to the cast of Bridgerton.
@Where’Smytiara … Agreed! Well, about the kilt pic and Harry’s team, but there aren’t enough hand-held fans in the universe for Hot Jonny on Bridgerton. Woof! 😛
So, Charles is responsible for seating HJ directly behind Harry and Meghan in the Cathedral during the Queen’s Jubilee, when Meghan wore that white hat and coat? I thought HJ was the Queen’s man because he was always seen near her.
In fact, I’d always supposed that HJ had helped to facilitate some ‘burner phone’ activity for the Queen with the Sussexes. I thought Charles had inherited him. But if he was Charles’s man all that time… oh my.
He was QE’s equerry. Charles inherited him
NOT JONNY!!!!! Damn, he is a handsome guy. Sigh. I suspect that Charles — in his struggle with cancer — has in typically masochistic vein, told his staff to find berths elsewhere before Billy the Basher sacks everyone. Either that, or, the monarchy is really winding down. Which would be fine by me. Some of Charles’ self-flagellating stuff is begging for reassurance and fawning compliments. Some of it is perfectly candid. He’s a tricky personality. I tend to think people with weak characters are unpredictable because their gut-check instinct is to avoid any way of being accountable. But there is a certain way in which they face the music when others don’t, because they’re always scanning for threats and at some point it’s exhausting and they just give up. It’s the constant vigilance imposed by a bad conscience that leaves them defenceless when the time comes.
Equerries don’t stay forever. They are usually serve in this post for three years so Jonny has stayed longer than normal.
It’s a bit of a non story with Jonny leaving the Army probably for a job in the private sector before he’s too old to be changing careers.
Exactly. Royal Equerries are always commissioned officers and the three years they usually serve earns a promotion to the next rank when they return to their regiment. Jonny Thompson has served more than double the usual length of time as an Equerry and has been promoted during his royal service. His total military service of 22 years is regarded as a full career with full pension entitlements. His service has included three tours of active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He probably already has a new job arranged. Good luck to him.
Are they always commissioned officers, though? Diana’s father served as equerry The Queen, I don’t believe he had been a military man, was he? Do the oldest sons of earls generally join the military?
Diana’s father was a lieutenant in the Scots greys I think same regiment as the duke of Kent in the 50s. Equerries are armed forces, can be army, navy, Air Force or Royal Marines. The media stories about this include comments that he disliked the attention. He and his wife recently became parents.
I think his retirement from the army has been planned for a while.
His position as equerry was always going to be temporary because he was seconded from the Army.
I’m bravely wishing Thompson well in all of his future endeavors. I’m also hoping — and requesting— an annual Hot Jonny Day with retrospective kilt pics. Some of those videos of him with the Queen were quite adorable. And also kinda dishy.
I guess it will be up to Cruachan IV now to add entertainment value and cuteness to the Royal goings on.
I’m all for “Jonny kilt day” he is one good looking man 😍🥰.. why can’t the UK have a King who looks like him?
They can… they just need to remove William and the Middletons from the succession.
Another vote for Hot Jonny Day. Goodness, that man is handsome—
Perhaps neither of them want to work for William, mind you when it comes to temper Charles and William are much of a muchness.
Yeah, but it’s easier to tolerate a whiney ragey controlling babyman when he is actually capable of…doing things. SOME sort of accomplishment.
A whiney ragey controlling babyman who can’t be bothered to do a damn thing? INFINITELY worse.
he needs a book deal “What the Equerry saw” he was directly behind Harry and Meghan for the QEll jubilee. To be honest i thought he left already something was announced during the height of The Windsors Cancergate. he isnt the first equerry to leave so why does he get a special mention?
Presumably because Kate will be crying into her wiglets.
Harry’s US security team had been looking to add Brits to the team before their arrival in the UK.
Wonder if Jonny got tapped to join? That will really set Kate off, if he decides to work for The Other Duchess.
Why? Probably a combination of the timing and the -ahem – aforementioned “cult following “. And, yes, it would be wild if Thompson ended up working with the Sussex household.
I nominate the hot equerry Jonny Thompson for the next James Bond!
Way better looking than the current touted favorite.
The butler and equerry would have been in rooms in which Charles discussed private matters which ended up in the ears of Clive Alderton and into the media, is my guess. So cleaning house? Or people jumping before they are pushed, but neatly timed to tie into (pre-)retirement and new job opportunities narratives?
As explained above, when he quits the army he can’t be an equerry. Simple as that.
The butler? He worked for Charles for 40 years, he must be well past retirement age. A well deserved retirement. He must have nerves of steel to last that long.
I wish them both the best, I hope neither writes a book. We have far too many former butlers, valets, aides, ladies in waiting to tell us their stories. I don’t need another “Harry was such a sweet child and so close to his brother if only he hadn’t married Meghan. I remember how the Queen/Philip/Camilla made remarks about XYZ” and “I was there when everything went downhill with Diana” biographies.
Members of the household sign the official secrets act I think. Other employee contracts include confidentiality clauses.i always thought it interesting that Charles took no legal action against Stephen Barry ( his valet) or Wendy berry who wrote the housekeepers diary which lifted the lid on the wales private marital arrangements. I think it was because Wendy had cancer and any legal action would be seen as petty. All a long time ago
Would Jonny consider moving to America for . . . something? Let his people figure out what he can do here. If it happens, I’ll be watching.
Oops sorry for the double comment above😀.
Beanie bean re your comments about peers sons joining the armed forces. It’s the same as any family some do some don’t. A short term commission is a good stepping stone to a further career outside the army. Some might have an estate to manage others will move on to other things.
Thank you for your responses to my questions! Much appreciated!
It does make sense for Johnny to be moving on. He’s still young enough to change career, but also he got married quite recently so if he’s looking to start a family it makes sense to want to be at home more (instead of trailing after the royals all over the world).
Or it could be that he doesn’t fancy working for PW. (That would work for PW as well – he won’t want handsome Johnny around stealing the attention and making him look even more of a gargoyle than he is).
Thank you for your loyal service Lieutenant Colonel Jonny Thompson. Your wardrobe was marvelous!
And the next James Bond if I ever saw one.