Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah: The Ghanaian Officer Who Was Queen Elizabeth II's First Black Assistant
- Queen Elizabeth II, who was the United Kingdom's longest reigning Monarch, died on Thursday at the age of 96
- Her reign saw her chalk several remarkable feats with her first visit to Ghana in 1961 after the country attained Republican status
- During the early parts of her monarchy, she chose a Ghanaian who fought in the Afghan war as her first black assistant
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Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom from February 6, 1952, passed peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, September 8, 2022. The 96-year-old Monarch reigned for 70 years and 214 days, making her the longest-reigning of any British monarch and the second-longest recorded Monarch of a sovereign country.
Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne at the age of 25 years following the death of her father, King George VI.
Source: Getty Images
She became Queen when Winston Churchill was Britain's prime minister, and Harry Truman was the President of the United States of America.
Since becoming Queen, she has seen the reign of several Presidents, Prime Ministers and Popes.
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Throughout her reign, she has chalked several feats and has visited every Commonwealth country at least twice.
Ghana is no exception as her visit to Ghana was in 1961 after the country had achieved Republican status and in 1999 when former President Rawlings was exiting power.
During her reign, another history was made when she appointed a Ghanaian as her first Black assistant.
This made her the first member of the royal family to appoint a black as an equerry in 2017.
She appointed Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah out of a lot of several prospective applicants who were equally suitable for the position.
Major Twumasi-Ankrah's appointment made him an integral part of the Queen's kitchen cabinet.
Who is Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah?
According to multiple online reports, Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah is an Afghanistan war veteran. He moved from Ghana to the UK when his parents relocated to that country in search of greener pastures in 1982.
He schooled at the Queen Mary University of London and later enlisted in the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he has forged an impeccable military career.
After joining the prestigious Blues and Royals, he became the first black British Army officer commissioned into the Household Cavalry.
In 2011, he acted as escort commander for the royal wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. That same year, Major Twumasi-Ankrah commanded the Blues and Royals, who participated in the Queen's birthday parade.
Role Of Equerry In The Royal Family Household
It is one of the most prestigious roles in the royal household and a position that requires a unique set of character traits.
Major Twumasi-Ankrah was one of the Queen's most trusted attendants as an equerry. He assisted the Queen with her official engagements and welcomed high-profile guests to the royal residences.
In the past, the person serving as an equerry normally took care of the cavalry's horses. However, the person occupying the position is seen publicly as an aide always at the Queen's side.
The position of equerry became very important when the Duke of Edinburgh, the late Prince Philip, was set to retire from public life.
He succeeded Wing Commander Sam Fletcher and served from 2017 before retiring in 2020.
Major Twumasi-Ankrah lives in London with his wife, Joanna Hanna-Grindall and their two young daughters.
Queen Elizabeth: Ghanaian Chef Elijah Amoo Addo Cooked ‘Waakye’ For Queen In 2017
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that in 2017, a Ghanaian chef Elijah Amoo Addo accepted a request by Queen Elizabeth to cook for her, enabling the monarch to taste one of Ghana's favourite foods, "waakye."
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Source: YEN.com.gh
