Ian Farquhar, a close friend of King Charles III, has died at the age of 78. The renowned hunter, who was also an equerry to Queen Elizabeth II, lived for years in a rented farm at Highgrove House, the family residence of the British monarchs in Gloucestershire. There he has died.
Farquhar was also very close to Queen Camilla and her first husband, Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles, who told local media that the situation was “very sad” and that Farquhar had been in poor health in recent months. .
As Bowles told the Daily Mail, the renowned hunter, affectionately called “The Captain”, was “very funny”, adding that he will be “judged by history as one of the great hunters and master greyhound connoisseurs in the Kingdom.” Farquhar was also captain of the Beaufort Hunt, the largest and oldest fox hunting event in the west of the country.
The friendship between the hunter and the monarch began in their youth, even almost becoming family when Prince William began an affair with Rose, the daughter of Farquhar and his wife, Pammie-Jane Chafer, after coming of age and before. to attend the University of St. Andrews, in Scotland, where he would meet his future wife, Kate Middleton.
The two remained friends until the day of his death, with the hunter sharing a dinner table with his friends at the main residence whenever he had the opportunity.
“With broken hearts we send our love and condolences to the family and friends of our own Captain Ian Farquhar, who piloted us so brilliantly,” they write from the Beaufort Hunt organization on Instagram, who will always remember him as one of the best leaders, continually providing support and advice to others.
The news of his death comes as King Charles III continues his treatment against the undisclosed form of cancer he suffers from, which began three weeks ago. There are no details about his progress, but the monarch has continued to work from home holding hearings and completing administrative tasks while he recovers at his country residence in Sandringham, in the east of England.