Prince William’s royal equerry is stepping down following four years of service.
The 42-year-old future king’s right-hand-man Lieutenant Commander Rob Dixon, who was first appointed to the royal household in 2020, shared the news he was departing serving the 42-year-old in an emotional LinkedIn post in which he said he felt it was “time to move on” from his role.
He said: “I’ve had the most incredible opportunity to serve in a role that not only challenged me, but allowed me to grow, to learn and to make meaningful contributions alongside a talented and passionate team.
“I am immensely grateful for the support, collaboration and friendships formed during these last four years. It’s been a remarkable journey, and I look forward to carrying the skills and insights I’ve gained into my next appointments.”
The Lieutenant also highlighted how he had the honour of playing “a small part” in the April 2021 funeral of Prince Philip, the June 2022 Platinum Jubilee celebrations for Queen Elizabeth and the monarch’s funeral three months later, as well as the May 2023 coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla – and “all the weird and wonderful in between”.
He went on: “There were engagements when our whole Household was involved, every single person, and there were times when I was quite rightly standing alone, calling the shots and backing the shots I’d taken. “It’s now time to swap the top hat and tails for ‘daily working rig’ once again, and it’s the right thing to do.”
He is leaving his role as equerry to return to his post in the Royal Navy, where he has served for nearly 24 years, according to the Daily Mail.
Equerries are officers from one of the three branches of the armed forces who are chosen to assist senior royals in their respective royal duties, from organising public engagements to arranging their official schedules. Around six equerries work in the royal household at any given time and are appointments generally lasting about three years.
