A British-Ghanian Officer, Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah selected by the Queen to serve as a personal assistant makes history as the first Black to fill one of the most important roles in the royal household in Britain.
Twumasi-Ankrah moved to the UK with his parents from Ghana in 1982, is to become the Queen’s new equerry – attending high profile events as her aide.
As an equerry, Major Twumasi-Ankrah – known as “TA” to his friends – will act as one of the Queen’s most-trusted attendants, assisting her with official engagements and welcoming high profile guests to royal residences.
Speaking on film for a documentary on Britain’s open and democratic society, Major Twumasi-Ankrah said: “As a young child, watching the her majesty the Queen’s birthday parade on television, I would have never imagined that one day I’d command the regiment which I’d fallen in love with.”
He added: “From where I sit and from what I’ve seen in the UK, our cultures really do mix and intermingle, and if I’m not a good example of that I really don’t know what is.”
Major Twumasi-Ankrah is currently in a transition phase with the current equerry Wing Commander Sam Fletcher and will take over fully by the end of the year.
Historically, the role was created for someone to look after the cavalry’s horses, but in modern times an equerry is expected to be publicly visible as an aide at the Queen’s side.
The appointment is said to be especially important now the Duke of Edinburgh is set to retire from public life this year.
Major TA, 38, moved to the UK from Ghana with his parents in 1982. He studied at Queen Mary University in London and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
He joined the Blues and Royals to become the first black British Army officer commissioned into the Household Cavalry and acted as escort commander for the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011.
In the same year, he commanded the Blues and Royals taking part in the Queen’s birthday parade.
He lives in London with his wife, Joanna Hanna-Grindall, who works as the Victoria and Albert Museum’s corporate partnerships manager.
