The royal family is mourning – Prayers sent their way

One of King Charles’ closest friends, Ian Farquhar, passed away after a period of declining health in the cottage he rented on the monarch’s Highgrove Estate. He was well known for his wicked sense of humor and as one of the best huntsmen in Britain.

Highly esteemed and respected within the hunting communities of Britain and the United States, Farquhar was also a well-regarded and sociable equerry to The Queen Mother during his time as a young Army officer.

At the time of his passing, he was 78 years of age.

The friendship between Farquhar and King Charles translated into a friendship between their children following their brief romance. Back in 2000, while Prince William was on a school break, he and Farquhar’s daughter, Rose, spent some lovely time together in the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside, creating cherished memories. She’s described as the Prince’s “first love.” William attended her wedding to George Gemmell in 2022.

Queen Camilla’s first husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, told Richard Eden of the Daily Mail that the famous huntsman’s passing was ‘very sad’ and that his health had been declining in recent months. Bowles described his friend as “wild as a hawk in his youth, but always great fun.”

He added that Farquhar, who never took himself too seriously, would be “judged by history as one of the great Master of Hounds.”

Farquhar’s primary distinction as a huntsman was his role as Master of the Beaufort Hunt, a renowned hunt that is the oldest and largest in the West Country.

The Beaufort Hunt paid tribute to Farquhar on their Instagram page by posting a carousel showing the great huntsman at different stages of life, along 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 post continued: “‘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 humor 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.”

May he rest in peace.