Queen’s appointment of a Royal Marines officer as her equerry is hailed ‘deeply significant’ by elite force after the ‘huge disappointment’ of Prince Harry quitting his captain general role
- Major Tom White was picked by the Queen who held several interviews for role
- He becomes the first commando to ever hold role of Queen’s ‘eyes and ears’
- The move is seen as a symbolic show of support for the Royal Marines by Firm
- It comes in the year Prince Harry left his role as Royal Marines captain general
The decision by the Queen to appoint a Royal Marines officer as her equerry has been hailed a ‘proud moment’ and ‘deeply significant’ by the elite force after Prince Harry walked away from his role as captain general earlier this year.
Major Tom White, who will start his role next month, was hand-picked by the monarch, 94, after she held several interviews for the position.
Military sources claim the selection of Major White is a symbolic show of support for the Royal Marines after the ‘huge disappointment’ of the Duke of Sussex giving up his captain general of the marines post in March, The Sunday Times reports.
Prince Philip, 99, had previously handed the role over to Harry in 2017 after 64 years, but now he is believed to support the Queen’s decision.
The Queen (pictured at The Cenotaph on November 8) has appointed Major Tom White as her new equerry and he becomes the first commando to ever hold the position within the royal household
The appointment makes Major White, who is in his thirties, the first commando to ever hold the position of equerry – essentially the monarch’s right-hand man.
The role of equerry will see Major White be the Queen’s ‘eyes and ears’ as he sticks close to her during royal engagements and when she welcomes guests.
A marines source told publication: ‘Tom’s a superstar, and this is a deeply significant appointment by Her Majesty.
‘We were delighted when Harry was appointed captain general. Him walking away was a huge disappointment. The Royal Marines have felt they’ve been handed from pillar to post but this is a proud moment.’
The appointment was seen as ‘deeply significant’ within the Royal Marines who this year saw Prince Harry (right with wife Meghan Markle on one of their final UK engagements at the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall in March) step down as captain general of their elite force
Prince Harry, 36, left his military posts after stepping back from his royal duties in March to move to California with the Duchess of Sussex, 39.
Princess Anne, 70, is believed to be next-in-line to take up the role of Royal Marines captain general.
Major White joined the Royal Marines in 2007 and has extensive experience with the elite commando force, with one source describing him as one of the best Royal Marines officers they had ever met.
He has previously served as the military assistant to Major General Matt Holmes, commandant general of the Royal Marines and has also completed a posting at Navy Command in Portsmouth.
Major White follows in the historical footsteps of Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah (pictured), the Queen’s current equerry, who was the first black person to ever hold the position
When he begins his new role, Major White will be taking over from Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, 41, known as ‘TA’.
White follows in Twumasi-Ankrah’s footsteps in making history, because TA was the first ever black equerry appointed to the royal household.
Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah was most recently seen placing a bouquet of flowers at the grave of the Unknown Warrior with the Queen at Westminster Abbey.
A royal source told The Times that he was exceptionally popular in the royal household and will be missed.
