After a decline in health, Highgrove Estate farmhouse resident Ian Farquhar died. He was a close friend of the King and Queen and a frequent Highgrove dining partner.
Friends called him ‘The Captain’, who died. The King and Queen’s close friend Ian Farquhar died in his cottage on Highgrove Estate. Great British huntsman Farquhar was also known for his great company and wicked sense of humor.
Farquhar, the Queen Mother’s equerry, became a cavalry captain in the Queen’s Own Hussars. He lived in a farmhouse he rented from the Estate at Highgrove for many years and was close to the King and Queen. His death was reported by Highgrove on Wednesday morning.
The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden interviewed Andrew Parker Bowles, the Queen’s first husband and close friend. He called Farquhar’s death ‘very sad’ and claimed his health had been deteriorating. He described Farquhar as ‘wild as a hawk in his youth, but always wonderful fun’. Farquhar was a man who took his work seriously and was very competent at it, but he also liked life and good company. Parker Bowles said Farquhar will be ‘judged by history as one of the great Master of Hounds’.
A royal insider described how Farquhar became an integral part of Highgrove’s daily operations and how the King seemed to appreciate a nearby buddy. Farquhar often crossed Highgrove fields to dine with the King, according to the source. On other times, he drove until his automobile got ‘hoplessly bogged down’ and then walked the rest of the distance, leaving the car to be recovered later.
After retiring from the Army, Farquhar married Pammie-Jane Chafer and had three daughters. After graduating from Eton in 2000, Prince William fell in love with Rose Farquhar, strengthening his bond with the King. At the Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire, the Prince met his ‘first love’, which would not last. William attended Rose’s 2022 wedding to George Gemmell as a friend. Despite their divorce, Farquhar and Pammie-Jane remained friends.
Master of the Beaufort hunt, the West Country’s oldest and largest, was Farquhar’s main hunting title. The Beaufort Hunt posted a carousel of Farquhar at various ages on Instagram with the caption, ‘It is with broken hearts we send our love and condolences to the family and friends of our own Captain Ian Farquhar, who so brilliantly piloted us for 34 years and passed away peacefully this week.
The hunting community admired “Captain” because he was friendly, helpful, and always had great, forward-thinking advise.
“He had a wicked sense of humor, and anyone who was lucky enough to be in his company and hear about his incredibly varied and interesting life in the army and hunting will never forget it.
Farquhar was not only a true countryman but also a passionate man who cared sincerely about what important to him and was deeply valued by others. He must have been a trusted confidant of the King and a comedian.
As he travels between Sandringham and London for medical treatment, Farquhar’s death is tough for the King. After canceling most of his commitments, the King now takes a helicopter from Sandringham to London for treatment and business, then returns to Sandringham to recover.
The King received Jamaica’s High Commissioner, Alexander Williams, and his wife, Carol Watson-Williams, at Buckingham Palace yesterday. After arriving in London, new High Commissioners and ambassadors meet the monarch. The Queen saw Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, last week, whereas the King did not.
The King has postponed all public obligations but continues to meet with foreign leaders and the Prime Minister and study state papers behind closed doors. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the King spoke by video last week.