Lieutenant-Colonel Sir John Miller: Former Crown Equerry

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL Sir He was educated at Eton and ceremonial affairs until his the date. And in the event the John Miller, of Shotover House, Sandhurst, and served in the Welsh retirement in 1987, when he was Queen was shot at in The Mall, the near Wheatley, who was a former Guards during the Second World appointed an Extra Equerry to the Queen Mother slipped on a Crown Equerry, has died aged 87. War. Queen. staircase, injuring her leg. as she From 1961-1987 he was Crown A courageous soldier, he He took part in more than 64 left the Duke of Wellington’s office Equerry, in charge of the Queen’s distinguished himself in particular birthday parades and rehearsals. from which she had been watching Horses, carriages and cars. after the Allied landings in Most of these occasions passed off the ceremony, Prince Philip’s horse He was known for opening up his Normandy in 1944. flawlessly, but the Queen’s official went lame and his groom was Shotover estate to the public to As a company commander in birthday celebration on June 13, injured in an accident. show how his stables were August that year he rallied his men 1981 was an exception. Sir John’s duties brought him managed, and for people to see his under intense shell fire and was He was already nervous for into close contact with the Royal selection of horse-drawn carriages, awarded an MC. superstitious reasons, because of Family. saddlery and postillions’ livery. Only a month later, he received He blew the hunting horn at He was an excellent horseman who the DSO for re-establishing two Balmoral to welcome the Waleses enjoyed hunting, polo and driving. companies that had been dispersed home from their honeymoon, and He introduced the Prince Wales to during a fierce onslaught by enemy was responsible for mounting hunting and Prince Philip to tanks. members of the family on to their carriage driving. In September 1944, he horses when they expressed an Born on February 4,1919, as the commanded the first British troops interest in riding. third son of Brigadier-General to enter Brussels after the city’s Injury ruled him out of Britain’s Alfred Douglas Miller, CBE, DSO, liberation. eventing team for the 1952 3 was born into a military family. A After the war, Sir John was ADC Helsinki ‘Olympics, but two giant stuffed bear, a gift his father to Field Marshal Lord Wilson of decades later he was in the gold- from the last Tsar, Nicholas II, Libya, head of the British Joint medal-winning British team at the stood in the hall of Shotover House. Staff Mission in Washington, from World Driving Championships in His mother, Ella, was a ascendant 1945 to 1947. He commanded the Germany, and in 1974 he was a of Andrew Fletcher, the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards from member of the team that won a gold distinguished 17th-century 1958 to 1961. medal in Switzerland. political writer, and of the Earls of He joined the Royal Household He was appointed CVO in 1966, Wemyss and March. as Crown Equerry in 1961, running and advanced to KCVO in 1974 the Royal Mews and all attendant and GCVOinl987. He never married. equestrian and