Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah

Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, (born 1979) is a Ghanaian-born officer in the British Army. Appointed by Queen Elizabeth II as her equerry, he was the first black man to hold this position. Twumasi-Ankrah is an officer of the Household Cavalry and a veteran of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Early life and education

Nana Twumasi-Ankrah was born in Ghana in 1979 and moved to the United Kingdom with his parents in 1982 when he was three years old. His father is a former Head of Military Intelligence for the Ghanaian Army. Having completed his schooling, he then studied at Queen Mary & Westfield College, London. Whilst at university, he became a member of the University of London Officer Training Corps. with seniority in that rank from 15 April 2000. He was promoted the same day to lieutenant with seniority from 15 April 2002. and to major on 31 July 2012.

He became known to the public in 2011 when he acted as escort commander at the Royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton and was seen alongside the 1902 State Landau in the carriage procession from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. The appointment made him the first black man to perform that role. He succeeded Wing Commander Sam Fletcher, who stepped down from the position in 2017. The equerry is considered one of the most important and senior positions in the royal household, requiring his attendance at official engagements at Buckingham Palace and other Royal residences.

At Windsor Castle on 27 November 2020, Twumasi-Ankrah was received by the Queen, who invested him with the MVO upon relinquishing his appointment as Equerry.

During Queen Elizabeth's state funeral processions in both London and Windsor, Twumasi-Ankrah, was among the group of pallbearers that included 12 former Equerries. This group, adhering to a tradition established during Queen Victoria's reign, marched alongside the late Queen's coffin as part of their ceremonial role. Unlike the bearer party, which was responsible for physically carrying the coffin, these pallbearers walked immediately adjacent to it.

Later service On 30 June 2021, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

Personal life

On 2 June 2012, Twumasi-Ankrah married Joanna Hanna-Grindall, who is a senior corporate partnerships manager at the Victoria and Albert Museum.