Lt. Colonel Johnny Thompson of the Scots Guards and Handsome Men In Kilts **Appreciation Thread
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The King and Jonny visited the Lonach Highland Games today. How lucky for us that someone snapped a photograph! It looks like they both were having a good time! Jonny is a Lonach Highlander. 
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Here's the video of the Lonach Highland Games 2023. Lots of Jonny, kilts and tartan in it to enjoy ❤
Braemar Media just dropped a wonderful YouTube 13 minute video of the King and Jonny at yesterday’s Lonach Highland Games and Gathering. Jonny looked like he was thoroughly enjoying the day! After a bit of digging around on several websites, this is what I learned about the Lonach Highlanders. They were founded to preserve their Scottish heritage and maintain an unbroken link with their forefathers. Membership is drawn from Strathdon. Most of the men are Forbes Clan but Gordon and Wallace Clans are also members. While they are not considered to be a military unit, they carry colours and banners which were historically presented to Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. The Lonach Highland Games Gathering is held on the 4th Saturday of August and is also the day on which they conduct their famous March to and from the Games, periodically stopping for a “wee dram” of scotch whiskey along the way. After my bit or research and reading between the lines … While Jonny was born in England he must have deep Scottish roots and Clan affiliation or he would not have been invited and brought into the Lonach Highlanders as a member. Could he be a Scot by heritage and Clan who happened to have been born in England and could this be why he chose the Royal Regiment of Scotland when he joined the military? All speculation on my part. I would love to hear your thoughts about this!
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Jonny’s family lived in the area for some time. Hence his association with the Lonachs. Prior to joining the Army, he marched with the Lonachs.
He had relatives and many old friends marching on this special 200th anniversary for the society, and 180th anniversary of the Games and Gathering At one point in the video Jonny can be seen proudly introducing a couple of his pals to the King. The late Queen was always invited to the Lonach Gathering and Games, but never attended. Lovely to see the King was persuaded to be there this time.
The march starts early in the morning at Bellabeg. The route is 6 miles long, finishing at 1:00pm when they enter the Gathering grounds. To keep their spirits up throughout, there are 6 stops along the way - for a wee dram. One every mile!
The three clans represented are Forbes, Gordon and Wallace. While you do not have to be a member of these Clans to be a Lonach Highlander, you do have to have strong links to the local community.
This is from the Braemar Facebook page. I think Jonny used to live in Lonach or nearby, and was a Lonach Highlander, so I guess he might know quite a lot of people there. He was probably allowed to join because he lived there. I think Jonny has lived in Scotland most of his adult life.
Thank you for your wonderful information. It sounds like everyone arrives at the Gathering grounds in good spirits! No pun intended, it just came out that way!
Isn’t the video wonderful! I have so much to say about it! Yes, there is a tradition of posh accented men in the Forces, usually Guards Officers, who have family heritage in Scotland, Wales or N.Ireland, I'm thinking of Alastair Bruce, Sky News Ceremonial Commentator, former Scots Guard, Pageantry expert, descended from Robert the Bruce, and related to the Royal Family, ancestral home in Knoydart in the Highlands, and currently Governor of Edinburgh Castle. He is also a lovely man, I've chatted to on twitter. Yet speaks with a cut glass English accent. I'm sure if we said to both Alastair and Jonny "Are you English?" They would reply, "Scottish and British ". Jonny loves Rugby, so if he supports the Scottish Rugby team over England, that's definite proof!
As he arrived in the car accompanying the King, he is like a companion to Charles, without Camilla. I would suggest the King attended Lonach for Jonny, as ithis is his home games and where he grew up. Earlier this week a stupid woman tried to tell me nobody in Scotland wears kilts except for weddings, apart from the King and Jonny, and when I asked what about in the Highlands? She replied, it's like her wearing a Morris dancer's outfit to visit England. Such ignorance! It's the same folk who claim the King is not popular. I challenge anyone to watch today's video and still say that. Same with those American Youtubers who say people are hoping Charles will not have a long reign and William can take over. Luckily Charles is not Monarch in America and I doubt William would have received a warmer welcome. Charles & Jonny are a formidable team and both are extremely popular.
The long march is certainly made easier with the many… rest stops!Thank you for your wonderful information. It sounds like everyone arrives at the Gathering grounds in good spirits! No pun intended, it just came out that way!
If you look closely, even Jonny can be seen with a glass in hand at one point (dangerous as he is quite a ‘lightweight’!!!!). Also, not really allowed as an Officer in uniform on duty… but he got away with it this time as his Colonel in Chief gave permission.
It was lovely to see how happy he was to have his king part of such a special day for them all.
I did notice the bit of video where Jonny picked up the glass. I thought he was holding it for the King and was going to pass it along to him, however the film coverage of him stopped as soon as he picked up the glass and switched over to the King. It did not occur to me that it was Jonny's! When he is photographed with glass in hand it is always a mostly full glass of wine.
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Thank you for posting this info. Though it was previously stated in this forum his parents are not called Ian and Elizabeth , this article from 2007 has all the correct geographical locations of Strathdon, so we can assume Jonny grew up in that beautiful house. I don't care about Billy Connolly being his neighbour with Hollywood visitors. But maybe that's why his parents wanted to downsize and sell it, as Jonny had left home. I hope they still live in Scotland though.
At home with the Connollys
HOUSEHUNTERS are being offered the chance to become Billy Connolly's next-door neighbour - for a staggering £1million.
You are giving us so much interesting information! Please tell us more!!!
Upon listening to Jonny's voice during military interviews, my ear hears an accent, a silken lilt, that sounds like a lovely mix of England and Scotland that might be interpreted as well-educated upper class/aristocratic. There is a 5 Scots photo on one of their social media platforms, of Jonny and the jocks after playing a Rugby game. All present were covered in dirt and broadly smiling. We would love to see pictures of Jonny playing Rugby but sadly none have surfaced on social media.
I did not know "companion" was the significance of attending an event with the King without the Queen present. What a thoughtful gesture for Jonny on the part of the King! And we are seeing the two of them out and about more often. My interpretation of this is that they may, after being King & Equerry, have become close friends with common interests who enjoy one another's company. One can only imagine the spirited discussions, even debates, those two might get up to!
I agree with your comment about wearing kilts as my father wore his at every opportunity and I secretly think part of the reason was because the ladies always drifted in his direction when he wore it and he enjoyed the attention! According to American friends, the Royal Family is much loved and respected, especially the King, and everyone loves Jonny.
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I agree, I think Jonny and the King have really similar personalities and common interests, which is why we are seeing more events with just the two of them. I feel that the late Queen Elizabeth, the King and the Princess Royal love(d) their time in Scotland but I do worry about when William becomes King as he has really shown no interest in Scotland. You never see him in a kilt or at a Highland Games at least not as an adult. I don't think he has shown much interest in Wales either. I know he's got kids but he is literally in Scotland and he could bring the kids to the games. I think the King would really like that and so would most Scots I think (I'm Scottish). He is going to get to his coronation and realise that he should have put in the effort.