Ian Farquhar, a close friend of King Charles and Queen Camilla, as well as the father of Prince William’s first serious girlfriend, Rose Farquhar, tragically passed away after becoming trapped between his bed and a wall.
An inquest revealed that the retired Army captain, 78, was found dead on March 6, positioned with his legs in the air due to a drinking problem that had developed in his later years.
Care worker Beth Gillingham discovered Mr. Farquhar’s body. His daughter, Victoria, informed the coroner of the extent of his alcohol consumption, stating, “He would drink a litre of gin and a couple of bottles of wine in a day.”
The inquest revealed that his blood alcohol level was nearly five times the drink-drive limit at the time of his death. A pathologist determined that the causes of death were postural asphyxia, inversion of the body, and alcohol toxicity.
Mr. Farquhar, affectionately nicknamed “The Captain,” had been struggling with health issues and used a walking stick. His daughter noted in a statement read at the inquest that he had attempted to overcome his drinking problem, which had begun during his attendance at hunting events.
In May, a memorial service was held at the Duke of Beaufort’s Badminton Estate in Gloucestershire, attended by Queen Camilla and her ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, who fondly recalled Farquhar as “wild as a hawk in his youth, but always great fun.”
Currently, King Charles and Queen Camilla are in Samoa for the King’s first international tour since announcing his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
Notably, Prince William and Rose Farquhar first crossed paths at the Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire in 2000, shortly after William completed his A-levels at Eton College.
The two have remained on amicable terms, often encountering each other at weddings and various social gatherings with their childhood friends.
