William and Kate appoint their first Equerry

PrincessOfPeace · June 08, 2014, 10:37:02 PM

Quotehe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have appointed their first equerry to their household earlier this year, The Courtier has discovered, another sign of an increasing yet inevitable focus on royal duties for the couple.

Captain Florian Graham-Watson, an officer from the Irish Guards, has been seconded to the Duke and Duchess's household since the beginning of the year and even accompanied them on their recent tour of New Zealand and Australia.

More: William and Kate appoint their first Equerry | Royal Central

Macrobug · June 08, 2014, 10:38:15 PM

err...what is an Equerry? :hmm:

SophieChloe · June 08, 2014, 10:39:22 PM

Here we go...Royal Central....A man of distinction working for these two....he will be bored out of his brain.

PrincessOfPeace · June 08, 2014, 10:40:10 PM

Quote from: Macrobug on June 08, 2014, 10:38:15 PM
err...what is an Equerry? :hmm:

Equerry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Macrobug · June 08, 2014, 10:43:54 PM

But what do they do? Press clothing? Run errands? Take out the garbage? Babysit PG?

What is the difference between an equerry and a personal assistant or secretary or adviser?

PrincessOfPeace · June 08, 2014, 10:48:36 PM

The article says they are the equivalent of an Aide-de-camp Aide-de-camp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia not sure if this helps

Macrobug · June 08, 2014, 10:51:31 PM

Still don't see the difference between this and the position that JLP held.

PrincessOfPeace · June 08, 2014, 10:54:01 PM

Apparently all senior members of the BRF have one and the Queen has three. I don't have an equerry so I can't help you there

cinrit · June 08, 2014, 10:54:56 PM

I thought an equerry was something like a valet or maybe a head butler?

Cindy

TLLK · June 08, 2014, 11:27:12 PM

I've always been under the impression that they handle communications and oversee a royal's office. I know that the Spanish royals use them (And often they're muy guapo!!!! :blowkiss:)

cinrit · June 09, 2014, 09:58:24 AM

I've read elsewhere that an equerry is from the Armed Services and is appointed to handle day-to-day engagements, and that they're usually temporary, as this is part of their training. If that explains anything... :hmm:

Cindy

Curryong · June 09, 2014, 10:16:45 AM

Equerries are military officers or ex-military officers , who are appointed to a royal household (or a royal's household) as assistants. Charles grabbed Mark Dyer to be an equerry and then more or less appointed him as a 'big brother' to superintend Harry when he wasn't around!

I don't think this one is going to be nursemaid to Prince George, however. I think he is appointed to help Kate and Will in their royal duties strictly as an assistant.

Double post auto-merged: June 09, 2014, 10:26:44 AM

This is further info about equerries. They are the male equivalents of ladies in waiting in many ways. They look after guests, accompany the royal on official events most of the time, help arrange any private engagements, (phone up, write etc.) The ones at Windsor serve for several weeks in rotation, but as Will and Kate have only one, I don't know what the arrangement is there!

In All I Do · June 10, 2014, 01:51:52 AM

First time poster.

Out of curiosity, I googled the new equerry. He appears to be something of a rising star in the IG; in 2012, he was a 2nd Lt. and 2 Platoon Commander for the IG, and acted as their spokesman.

Coincidentally, around the same time the news about the appointment came out, his engagement was announced on May 30 (Capt F.N. Graham-Watson and Dr C.M. Campbell - Engagements Announcements - Telegraph Announcements).

It wouldn't surprise me if he was chosen because his CO wanted to give him an opportunity to stick close to London while planning the wedding.

Curryong · June 10, 2014, 02:01:50 AM

Quote from: Adrienne on June 10, 2014, 01:51:52 AM
First time poster.

Out of curiosity, I googled the new equerry. He appears to be something of a rising star in the IG; in 2012, he was a 2nd Lt. and 2 Platoon Commander for the IG, and acted as their spokesman.

Coincidentally, around the same time the news about the appointment came out, his engagement was announced on May 30 (Capt F.N. Graham-Watson and Dr C.M. Campbell - Engagements Announcements - Telegraph Announcements).

It wouldn't surprise me if he was chosen because his CO wanted to give him an opportunity to stick close to London while planning the wedding.

You may very well be right, Adrienne. So Florian's marrying a doctor! Very impressive!
Welcome, from a fellow newbie, by the way!

amabel · June 10, 2014, 05:29:37 AM

Quote from: cinrit on June 08, 2014, 10:54:56 PM
I thought an equerry was something like a valet or maybe a head butler?

Cindy

Oh no, butlers are domestic servants. Equerries are a much higher rank, and usually ex army

fawbert · June 10, 2014, 11:09:46 AM

An equerry is a male version of a lady in waiting, and the latter seem to have fallen out of favour with modern royal ladies.

:old: :old:

Capt Florian Graham-Watson is a relation of the Duke of Cambridge. Florian's gt-gt-gt grandfather was a brother Lady Fermoy, wife of the 1st Baron.....

:random44:

Curryong · June 10, 2014, 11:25:09 AM

Someone's been looking up Burke's Peerage! :D

AyVey · June 10, 2014, 12:23:15 PM

Quote from: PrincessOfPeace on June 08, 2014, 10:54:01 PM
Apparently all senior members of the BRF have one and the Queen has three. I don't have an equerry so I can't help you there

But I thought they weren't 'senior' members of BRF and that's why they do barely minimum engagements, now I'm confused :coy:

Basically they are real, senior or whatever members of Rf when it comes to all e perks, status, mansions, living in palaces, deserving people's respect and admiration, shopping, decorating, hiring numerous no of staff, cars etc but they aren't exactly'senior' or proper royals or heir when it comes to work hmmmmm

Why on Earth they keep on increasing their staff when neither one of them have any plans of increasing their work load. Last time i checked all other members of RF work full time and hence have a large no of staff members.

Limabeany · June 10, 2014, 12:33:27 PM

Continuing to add to their list of employees, while one of them is in a limbo and both are barely working doesn't make them any friends...

SophieChloe · June 10, 2014, 12:45:14 PM

Quote from: AyVey on June 10, 2014, 12:23:15 PM
Quote from: PrincessOfPeace on June 08, 2014, 10:54:01 PM
Apparently all senior members of the BRF have one and the Queen has three. I don't have an equerry so I can't help you there

But I thought they weren't 'senior' members of BRF and that's why they do barely minimum engagements, now I'm confused :coy:

Basically they are real, senior or whatever members of Rf when it comes to all e perks, status, mansions, living in palaces, deserving people's respect and admiration, shopping, decorating, hiring numerous no of staff, cars etc but they aren't exactly'senior' or proper royals or heir when it comes to work hmmmmm

Why on Earth they keep on increasing their staff when neither one of them have any plans of increasing their work load. Last time i checked all other members of RF work full time and hence have a large no of staff members.

:goodpost: :notworthy:

AyVey · June 10, 2014, 01:27:40 PM

Quote from: Limabeany on June 10, 2014, 12:33:27 PM
Continuing to add to their list of employees, while one of them is in a limbo and both are barely working doesn't make them any friends...

You forgot doing maximum no of official engagements doesn't mean public duty or working hard, hiring staff, decorating, shopping, taking vacation, doing 4 maximum an or 2 long appearances and getting most media coverage means really working hard and representing your country well, dnt ya knowww

Limabeany · June 10, 2014, 01:48:23 PM

Quote from: SophieChloe on June 10, 2014, 12:45:14 PM
Quote from: AyVey on June 10, 2014, 12:23:15 PM
Quote from: PrincessOfPeace on June 08, 2014, 10:54:01 PM
Apparently all senior members of the BRF have one and the Queen has three. I don't have an equerry so I can't help you there

But I thought they weren't 'senior' members of BRF and that's why they do barely minimum engagements, now I'm confused :coy:

Basically they are real, senior or whatever members of Rf when it comes to all e perks, status, mansions, living in palaces, deserving people's respect and admiration, shopping, decorating, hiring numerous no of staff, cars etc but they aren't exactly'senior' or proper royals or heir when it comes to work hmmmmm

Why on Earth they keep on increasing their staff when neither one of them have any plans of increasing their work load. Last time i checked all other members of RF work full time and hence have a large no of staff members.
:goodpost: :notworthy:

:clap: :clap: :goodpost: :clap: :clap:

Flying Flapjacks · June 10, 2014, 04:08:35 PM

This might help explain what an equerry does:

http://www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalHousehold/RoyalHouseholddepartments/ThePrivateSecretarysOffice/LadiesinWaitingandEquerries.aspx

Limabeany · June 10, 2014, 04:14:44 PM

:thanks: FF :hug: I guess someone in uniform should raise the image of these two, sad that there are always made to look better through cosmetic fixes and nothing to do with them getting down to work...

Graceanne · June 10, 2014, 04:55:41 PM

Is it required that the palace let the public know whenever staff is hired for any of the royals? I'm just wondering why they would release this information at a time when William and Kate have started receiving negative press about the cost for their lifestyle versus the amount of public work they do. This could add fuel to the fire.