King Charles loses key aide week after talks with Prince Harry

King Charles’ top aide, dubbed ‘the wasp’ by Prince Harry in his 2023 memoir, has rocked the Palace with shock annoncement weeks after fatehr-son's key meeting at royal house.

Sir Clive Alderton, who has served in the Royal Household for 20 years, announced that he will step down from his role next year.

A palace spokesperson shared King Charles and Queen Camilla's reaction to the latest update, saying the royal couple "are deeply grateful to Clive for his tireless support and wise counsel over the years and for the enduring loyalty that will ensure a smooth transition to his successor."

The monarch's right-hand man's departure will coincide with his 60th birthday and come after 20 years of working for the Royal Household.

Alderton has played a massive role in supporting the 77-year-old  British monarch notably in preparing for the sovereign's 2022 accession to the throne, 2023 coronation ceremony and the first years of his reign.

Alderton said in a message to staff, shared with media, "It has been the greatest imaginable honour to serve the King and Queen in my present role through such historic times and with unforgettable humor along the way. That support will continue, in a less formal capacity, for all of my life."

He joined the Royal Household in 2006 as a deputy private secretary to Charles and Camilla, then the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, before becoming their private secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

He was then Queen Elizabeth's ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco and her non-resident Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania from 2012 until 2015 before serving as Charles and Camilla's principal private secretary.

Harry's referred to three key staffers in the Royal Household by insect nicknames, with Alderton widely believed to be "the Wasp."

"The Wasp was link, charming, arrogant, a ball of jazzy energy," Harry wrote in his book.