King Charles and Queen Camilla bid farewell as major Plunket ends royal watch

King Charles and Queen Camilla played host on Sunday to a quietly stirring farewell as Major Oliver 'Ollie' Plunket stepped down as the Queen’s equerry.

In a gracious ceremony at Sandringham, he was honoured with the Insignia of a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (RVO).

The 31-year-old Rifleman, who since November 2022 has served as Camilla’s first equerry, quietly guided royal engagements by managing diaries, liaising with military contacts, hosting official events, and often appearing at the Queen’s side on public occasions.

But Plunket is not an everyday aide-de-camp. Long before donning the uniform, he earned public admiration by embarking on a daring solo motorbike journey from Argentina to Alaska, a 24,500 mile odyssey undertaken at age 18 to raise £100,000 for military families via the Fisher House Foundation.

Then came his stint at military college, followed by overseas postings including Iraq, Canada, Liberia and Italy, plus humanitarian-style work with the United Nations.

At a recent military dinner where the regiment of The Rifles was being honored, the Queen made a rare public tribute to him, praising his unwavering dedication: “He has excelled in everything he has done for me.”

She also announced that he will be succeeded by Major Rob Treasure, also of The Rifles.

As Plunket exchanges his equerry’s sword for a medal ruefully framed in velvet, it is a quiet but touching reminder that even behind the polished facades of royal glitter, there are real stories of grit.