John Miller

Lieutenant Colonel Sir John Mansel Miller, (4 February 1919 – 17 May 2006) was a British Army officer and equestrian who served as Crown Equerry to Queen Elizabeth II from 1961 to 1987.

Early life and education Miller was born in 1919 at the family estate of Shotover Park in Wheatley, Oxfordshire, the third son of Brigadier General Alfred Douglas Miller and Ella Geraldine (née Fletcher). His mother was a descendant of political writer Andrew Fletcher, and of the Earls of Wemyss and March. His maternal great-grandfather Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot was Member of Parliament for Glamorgan for 60 years and Father of the House. His great-great grandfather was Richard Butler, 1st Earl of Glengall. He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) in December 1944, while serving as a major commanding a company in the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, with the citation noting, "that in the North Western Europe theatre of operations, after D-Day, in the face of heavy shelling, he kept his beleaguered men together, continually exposing himself to enemy fire, with complete disregard for his survival." Also same month, he commanded the first British troops to enter Brussels when it was liberated in September. As equerry, he took care of all of the Queen's horses, excluding her racehorses, and also looked after the fleet of royal cars.

Personal life Miller was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 1966 Birthday Honours. He was knighted as a Knight Commander in the same order (KCVO) in 1974, and further honoured as Knight Grand Cross (GCVO) in 1987.

Miller never married. He died in Oxfordshire in 2006.