6 handsome equerries who stole attention away from the royals: from ‘major eye candy’ Johnny Thompson and Tom White – who’s been compared to Roger Federer – to Prince William’s dashing aide Rob Dixon

Mar 15 , 2024

Jonathan Thompson, Tom White and Rob Dixon are all serving equerries to the British royal family. Photos: @theroyalmemorabilia, @william_catherine82, @royal_family_history/Instagram

It’s one thing to be scrutinised as a member of the royal family – that comes with the territory – but an equerry is supposed to stay behind the scenes, helping their assigned royal carry out their day-to-day duties.

No wonder it all got a bit much for King Charles’ equerry Jonathan Thompson then, who recently stepped back from his public-facing role as the monarch’s personal assistant after receiving a bit too much attention for his good looks.

Dubbed “major eye candy” and the king’s “hot equerry”, Thompson is “understood not to have enjoyed the public attention he received after attending several high-profile events with the king”, reported The Times.

So which other royal equerries have stood out for their charm, sex appeal or dashing demeanour in recent years – and who was the original bad boy equerry one royal fell head over heels for?

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1. Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Thompson

Lt Col Johnny Thompson recently sent the internet into a frenzy. Photo: @ltcoljonnythompson/Instagram

Kilt-wearing Johnny Thompson first caught the public’s eye at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022. Like all equerries, he is a member of the British Armed Forces and served as a senior bodyguard to the queen before her death. These days, he is King Charles’ right-hand man.

In February, British media reported that Thompson, 40, is now currently dating PR executive Olivia Lewis. He split from his former wife Caroline around two years ago.

2. Lieutenant Commander Rob Dixon

Commander Rob Dixon is the equerry to Prince William. Photo: @pointdevue/Instagram

Equerry to William, the Prince of Wales, Dixon has also caused a stir online for his suave appearance alongside the royals at public events. The internet swooned when he was spotted walking the red carpet in a three-piece suit ahead of Prince William at the Baftas last month, and it’s rare that he’s not by William’s side – even at football games.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Dixon specialised in maritime aviation as a qualified helicopter instructor and attack pilot before becoming part of the royal household.

3. Lieutenant Colonel Tom White

Lieutenant Colonel Tom White is Kate Middleton’s equerry. Photo: @katemiddletonprincessofwales/Instagram

As Kate Middleton’s royal duties increase – and given her recent health issues – it’s perhaps no surprise she’s drafted in one of the royal family’s most experienced aides as her new private secretary.

British tabloids have already pointed out the striking resemblance between Thomas White and Roger Federer. Photos: @william_catherine82, @rogerfederer/Instagram

Former royal marine Thomas White was Queen Elizabeth’s equerry right up until her death, and British media has likened the 36-year-old to tennis star Roger Federer, even prompting calls for Middleton to create a hot equerries calendar for charity, per Marca.

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4. Major Ollie Plunket

Major Ollie Plunket is among the youngest of the senior royals’ personal assistants at around age 29. Photo: @pointdevue/Instagram

At around 29, Queen Camilla’s equerry must be by far the youngest of the senior royals’ personal assistants. Online commentators first took notice of the handsome infantryman during the king’s coronation, with one commentator writing on X (formerly Twitter): “Who’s the hot guy in front of Charles?”

He reportedly drove solo from Argentina to Alaska on a motorbike to raise money for charity when he was a teenager.

5. Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah

Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah was the first black equerry to Queen Elizabeth. Photo: @blackvisionstv/Instagram

In 2017, “exceptionally popular” Twumasi-Ankrah – as an insider source once dubbed him, according to UK media – better known as TA, became the first black equerry to Queen Elizabeth.

Born in Ghana, he moved to the UK with his parents in 1982 and did a stint at the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, according to The Independent. He is married to Joanna Hannah-Grindall, a corporate partnerships manager at London’s V&A museum.

Then Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, better known as “TA”, greets former British prime minister Theresa May. Photo: @ghanadeluxe/Instagram

The former equerry found himself back in the news recently over claims in Omid Scobie’s book that the late Queen Elizabeth “offered” him to Meghan Markle to help her settle into the royal family.

6. Captain Peter Townsend

Princess Margaret fell in love with her father’s equerry, Peter Townsend. Photo: @princessmargaretdiaries/Instagram

The original heartbreaker equerry was, of course, Captain Peter Townsend, whose illicit love affair with Queen Elizabeth’s sister Margaret was depicted in the first two seasons of Netflix’s The Crown.

Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret and Ben Miles as Group Captain Peter Townsend in The Crown. Photo: Netflix

Townsend was equerry to Margaret’s father King George VI when they first met when she was just 14, and there was a 16-year age gap between the pair, according to Town & Country magazine. They would start their romance eight years later, when Margaret was 22.

In the end, the royal put duty before love and the two broke off their romance – but one thing was clear by the time it was over: few people get as close to the royals as their equerries …

Royalty

Kate Middleton just appointed Roger Federer lookalike Lt Col Tom White to help her with her royal duties post surgery, while Prince William’s equerry Rob Dixon turned heads in his suit at the Baftas
Dashing Jonathan Thompson was dubbed King Charles’ ‘hot equerry’ online but has since taken a more low-key role as a result – but which royal fell for her father’s equerry, as depicted in The Crown?