An inquest into the sudden death of King Charles’ close friend, Ian Farquhar, revealed that the 78-year-old tragically passed away in March this year after becoming trapped between his bed and the wall, leading to asphyxiation.
Farquhar, who once served as an equerry to the Queen Mother after becoming a Captain in the Queen’s Own Hussars, grew close to Charles when his daughter, Rose, dated a young Prince William in 2000. He was a regular dinner guest with Charles and Camilla, making his loss a significant blow to the King.
Andrew Parker Bowles, Camilla’s first husband, fondly remembered Ian as “a real countryman, a very good officer, a brave amateur rider, a hard-riding polo player, and an excellent public speaker.”
Farquhar had rented a farmhouse on Charles’ Highgrove Estate in Gloucestershire for years, where he was found by his care worker, Beth Gillingham, on March 6. Beth explained during the inquest that after receiving no response from Ian, she went to his bedroom, where she found him unresponsive. After checking for a pulse, she called the police, who pronounced him dead at 1 p.m.
During the inquest, Farquhar’s daughter, Victoria, shared how passionate her father was about horses and hunting. “He went to Eton, joined the military, and trained at Sandhurst. He became the Queen Mother’s equerry and would often go on hunts, followed by dinners,” she said.
Ian’s primary carer, Stuart White, also reflected on their friendship, describing how their visits often extended beyond routine check-ins. “He liked to chat, and over time, we laughed and joked together. He would often talk about his past, but he also struggled with depression due to his inability to do what he once loved—looking after dogs and horses.”
The Wiltshire coroner, Ian Singleton, ruled Ian’s death as misadventure, explaining that it appeared he had attempted to get up from bed, fell, and became trapped in a way that unintentionally led to his death. Singleton expressed his condolences to Ian’s family at the conclusion of the inquest.
