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The King’s Equerry is to leave his role in the Royal Household and the Armed Forces, Buckingham Palace said today.
Lieutenant Colonel Jonny Thompson, who serves as senior equerry to both King Charles III and Queen Camilla, will depart at the end of the year.
He plans to pursue a role in the private sector, the Palace said, meaning he will also leave the British Army after nearly 22 years of military service.
A spokesperson added: ‘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.’
Thompson, of the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, hails from Morpeth in Northumberland.
He joined the British Army in 2005 and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in 2006, 2009 and 2011.
Following his tours, he became one of Queen Elizabeth II’s most senior bodyguards, and was pictured with her at Balmoral.
He became equerry to Charles and Camilla in their roles as the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall in December 2019.
Lt Col Jonny Thompson, pictured at Westminster Abbey in 2023, served in the Middle East before becoming a vital part of the Royal Household in his role as the monarch’s right-hand man
Thompson, pictured with his wife, Olivia Lewis, of the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, hails from Morpeth in Northumberland
King Charles III inspects Balaklava Company 5th Battalion alongside Thompson at Balmoral in 2023
Thompson, pictured at King Charles III’s Coronation, has announced his intention to stand down as the monarch’s equerry
Following his tours, Thompson became one of Queen Elizabeth II’s most senior bodyguards, and was often pictured with her at Balmoral
He remained by Charles’ side when he became King following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and was seen standing proudly by him during his Coronation at Westminster Abbey, and walking behind Prince George and another of His Majesty’s Pages of Honour as they followed the ceremonial procession.
It was around this time he also caught the eye of royal fans, thanks to his dashing good looks, earning him a number of nicknames.
But to the disappointment of many, it emerged he was already married and had been since 2010, although the married did end in 2022.
Thompson was promoted to the role of ‘senior equerry’ – effectively serving as the monarch’s right-hand man – in October 2023.
Reports from the time suggested he had become ‘uncomfortable’ with the attention he was getting from admirers online, and that he took the promotion in order to be more behind the scenes.
Thompson is so trusted by the royal couple that he accompanied them on their state visit to the US in April this year.
He was also by their side on Christmas Day in 2024, which by tradition the Royal Family spent at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
An online CV suggests he studied for a BA in International Politics at Aberystwyth University, and later a Masters in Military and Security Studies at King’s College London.
Thompson and his wife Olivia attended Royal Ascot in June where they chatted to Zara and Mike Tindall
Thompson is pictured with King Charles III on the day of his Coronation in May 2023 as the monarch is handed his ceremonial St Edward’s Staff
Thompson has an umbrella at the ready to keep King Charles dry on a rainy September day in Paris in 2023
The Coronation at Westminster Abbey, where Thompson walked behind Prince George and another of His Majesty’s Pages of Honour as they followed the ceremonial procession
What do you make of Jonny Thompson’s decision to leave royal service for the private sector?
He attended Sandhurst’s Royal Military Academy from 2005-2006 and has served in the British Army ever since.
Thompson married his first wife Caroline, with whom he had a son, in 2010. They later divorced, and he married his second wife, PR executive Olivia Lewis, in a ‘low-key’ ceremony in May 2025. The couple now have a child together, a daughter named Theodora who was born in May.
The kilt-wearing Army officer is said to have met Olivia, 35, while working for Charles and Camilla. Her father, Simon Lewis OBE, worked as communications secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth.
His departure marks the third senior aide to leave the King’s side in recent months, after private secretary Sir Clive Alderton announced he will depart next year and Bernie Flannery, the King’s long-time butler, stepped down after more than 40 years.
