Lieutenant Commander Rob Dixon has issued his first statement after stepping down as Prince William‘s right-hand man and royal equerry, a position he held for four years since September 2020 when William and Kate Middleton were still the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Lt. Cdr. Dixon only has wonderful things to say about his time serving the Royal couple and reinforced his continued support for “Team Wales” after his departure. In a lengthy message posted on his LinkedIn profile, he shared that “it’s been a remarkable journey” but “it’s time to move on” and hand over his role to someone new.
He wrote: “I’ve had the most incredible opportunity to serve in a role that not only challenged me, but allowed me to grow, to learn, and to make meaningful contributions alongside a talented and passionate team.” He added that he played a small part in the funeral of Prince Philip in April 2021 and of Queen Elizabeth II in May 2023, the June 2023 Platinum Jubilee, the 2023 coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, as well as “all the weird and wonderful in between!”
Lt. Cdr. Dixon noted: “There were engagements when our whole Household was involved, every single person, and there were times when I was quite rightly standing alone, calling the shots and backing the shots I’d taken.”
He said he is “immensely grateful for the support, collaboration, and friendships formed during these last 4 years” and that he looks “forward to carrying the skills and insights” he’s gained into his next appointments. He accompanied his post with some memorable images from his time in the role, including a photo of him smiling alongside the Princess of Wales at her Together at Christmas concert in 2022, with the Prince of Wales and Prince George at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, and a photo of him with the rest of the Royal Family including Prince Harry and Princess Anne.
“It’s now time to swap the top hat and tails for ‘daily working rig’ once again, and it’s the right thing to do. An Equerry’s role is finite, and handing over to an enthusiastic fresh set of eyes is all part of the process. The aim of any military role should be to serve, lead and support your team, strive for success, then move onwards and upwards; I’m excited to do just that.”
He concluded his message: “I will be forever grateful to everyone who played their part alongside me in ‘Team Cambridge’ and ‘Team Wales’, and also to my superb Principals. I wish you all fair winds and following seas.”
Lt. Cdr. Dixon is reportedly leaving his role as equerry to return to his post in the Royal Navy, where he has served for nearly 24 years. Equerries are officers chosen from one of the three branches of the Armed Forces and they are tasked to assist senior royals in their respective royal duties in the course of three years . These include organizing their public engagements to arranging their official schedules. He reportedly helped William and Kate through their transition as they became the Prince and Princess of Wales following Charles’ ascension to the throne. Squadron Leader Mike Reynolds, a trained helicopter pilot who has served in the Royal Air Force, is now William’s equerry.
Published: Nov 30, 2024 04:01 pm