King Charles’s longtime friend Ian Farquhar has died at the age of 78 at the monarch’s Highgrove Estate.
The renowned huntsman also served as equerry to the Queen Mother and even served in the Queen’s Own Hussars, a cavalry regiment of the British Army.
Mr Farquhar was also close with Queen Camilla, living on the King’s estate for many years in a rented farmhouse. It is said that he died there on Wednesday morning.
Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, first husband and friend of Camilla, told the Mail’s Richard Eden that the situation was ‘very sad’ and that he had been in poor health for the past few months.
He described his friend as ‘wild as a hawk in his youth, but always great fun’. Parker Bowles added that ‘The Captain’, as Farquhar was known, will be ‘judged by history as one of the great Master of Hounds’.
King Charles’s longtime friend Ian Farquhar has died at the age of 78 at the monarch’s Highgrove Estate
Mr Farquhar would drive over and have dinner with the monarch, a source told Richard Eden
The renowned huntsman also served as equerry to the Queen Mother and even served in the Queen’s Own Hussars, a cavalry regiment of the British Army
A source said that he used to go across the fields to meet the monarch for dinner, but would abandon his car ‘when it became hopelessly bogged down’ and would instead wait for it to be rescued by tractors.
Ian married Pammie-Jane Chafer after he left the army and the pair had three daughters.
Farquhar and Charles became intertwined further when Prince William briefly dated Rose Farquhar in 2000 after he finished his A-levels at Eton.
The pair met at the Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire and she was described as the Prince of Wales’s ‘first love’ at the time.
William and Rose would go on romantic picnics in the Gloucestershire countryside together before he met Kate at St. Andrews University in Scotland.
They are still friends to this day, as the Prince attended her wedding to George Gemmell in 2022.
Farquhar and Pammie-Jane separated and as time went on, they managed to rekindle their friendship, but they continued to live separately.
Mr Farquhar was also Master of Beaufort Hunt for 34 years, one of the oldest and largest fox hunting packs in England.
In an Instagram post, the page shared a video containing multiple images of Ian throughout his life and wrote: ‘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.
Farquhar and Charles became intertwined further when Prince William briefly dated Rose Farquhar in 2000 after he finished his A-levels at Eton
William and Rose (pictured) are still friends to this day, as the Prince attended her wedding to George Gemmell in 2022
Mr Farquhar was also Master of Beaufort Hunt for 34 years, one of the oldest and largest fox hunting packs in England
‘”Captain” as he was known by many was loved and cherished by the entire hunting community, as someone who was supportive, kind and always there with excellent forward thinking advice for anyone who asked him.
‘He had a wicked sense of humour and anyone who was lucky enough to be in his company and listen to tales of his extremely varied and adventurous life both in the army and the hunting world will hold onto those memories forever.’
The post said that Mr Farquhar’s passions in life were his ‘hounds, his family and dogs’ and that he was a ‘true countryman and gent’.
This comes as King Charles continues treatment for his cancer while undertaking royal duties on the side.
He met with High Commissioner of Jamaica, Alexander Williams, who was joined by his wife Carol Watson-Williams, at Buckingham Palace yesterday.
The King has postponed all public-facing engagements while he continues his treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, but he has been carrying out audiences and desk duties behind Palace walls.
High commissioners and ambassadors based in London have a customary audience with the monarch shortly after taking up their role.
Charles’ meeting came after he held a video call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The King earlier met with the Ambassador of Algeria, Nourredine Yazid, and Samba Mamadou, Ambassador of Mauritania.
The King was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer following hospital treatment for an enlarged prostate earlier this year, which was unrelated.
He was treated in the same hospital as the Princess of Wales, who underwent abdominal surgery for an unknown condition in January.
