Lieutenant Colonel Jonny Thompson, the senior equerry to King Charles III and Queen Camilla, will leave his position in the Royal Household and the British Army at the end of 2026, Buckingham Palace announced on September 1, 2026.
Thompson, who has served for nearly 22 years in the armed forces, plans to transition to a role in the private sector. A palace spokesman stated that Their Majesties were aware of his plans and are grateful for his support over the past seven years. Thompson is expected to depart from his royal duties by year's end.
Thompson, a member of the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, joined the British Army in 2005. He completed deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan in 2006, 2009, and 2011. Following these tours, he served as one of Queen Elizabeth II's senior bodyguards.
He became an equerry to Charles and Camilla in 2019, when they were the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. He continued in this role after Charles ascended to the throne, and was present during the Coronation at Westminster Abbey, observing Prince George and the other Pages of Honour as they carried the King's ceremonial robes.
Thompson was promoted to senior equerry in October 2023, a role described as the monarch's right-hand man. Reports at the time suggested that he sought the promotion to be more behind-the-scenes due to increased online attention.
Academically, Thompson studied International Politics for his undergraduate degree at Aberystwyth University and later earned a Master's degree in Military and Security Studies from King's College London.
He was previously married to Caroline, with whom he has a son, divorcing in 2010. He married his second wife, PR executive Olivia Lewis, in May 2025.