The Queen’s new footman is an openly gay man

Ollie Roberts has made his first appearance as the Queen’s footman during the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London on Saturday, marking the official birthday of the Queen. Roberts, 21, served in the Royal Air Force, and is openly gay.

Having an openly gay man in such a visible position in the royal service has been praised by many LGBT+ activists and is part of a conscious commitment from the monarch to be more LGBT-inclusive and to tackle discrimination.