Sir Clive Alderton, the King's most senior aide and principal private secretary, is to step down from his role next year after more than two decades working for the Royal Family. His departure leaves Charles and Queen Camilla with the difficult task of finding a successor who can handle one of the most demanding jobs in the Royal Household.
A pivotal role behind the throne
Sir Clive has been a quietly influential figure, steering the couple through Charles's accession to the throne and supporting the King during state visits and more personal matters. Prince Harry reportedly nicknamed him 'the wasp'. His replacement will become the monarch's most senior courtier, acting as a bridge between the Crown and government and serving as the person the King can call on for advice.
Royal expert Jennie Bond, who spent 14 years as the BBC's royal correspondent, told the Mirror what the successor will need. She said: "I think most long-serving private secretaries become part adviser and part friend. He is someone the King will speak to almost every day of his life, someone whose principal role is to have his boss's back, to foresee trouble and head it off before it happens."
Diplomatic skill and big shoes to fill
Bond highlighted Sir Clive's diplomatic background and his role in the King's successful visit to the United States earlier this year. She explained: "Like most previous private secretaries, Sir Clive is an experienced diplomat, and he played a vital role in engineering the huge success of the King's visit to the United States earlier this year."
She also noted his complex reputation: "To Prince Harry, he was 'the wasp' who blocked his way and ignored his wishes. But to the King and Queen he has proved himself a safe pair of hands, and it may be that they will continue to call on his advice. Sir Clive is someone the King has been able to turn to, complain to, laugh with and rely on as his chief gatekeeper. His successor will indeed have big shoes to fill. Thus far they have always been men, so it would be refreshing to see a woman succeed him."
A demanding time for the monarch
During Sir Clive's tenure, he has guided Charles through his cancer diagnosis, numerous state visits, and the historic trip to Washington DC where the King addressed Congress and met US President Donald Trump. He has kept pace with Charles, described as a "complete workaholic" by his wife, and helped turn the King's ideas into action.
Bond warned that the next private secretary will have to hit the ground running. She said: "The world is still in turmoil, the King and Queen are now elderly, with the King still undergoing treatment for cancer. The King's brother is still under police investigation, his sons are still estranged and the UK is getting to know yet another Prime Minister. The King will need someone with proven diplomatic skills, sensitivity about family matters and enough experience to deal with the shifting world of politics."
Recruitment and handover plans
Royal sources said the courtier chose to share the news of his departure so that an open and rigorous recruitment process could begin, aiming to identify the highest calibre external and internal candidates. With Sir Clive remaining in post until next year, the timeframe allows for an appropriate handover period to his successor in spring or summer 2027, once an appointment is made.
Bond added: "The Palace are going to be looking at both internal and external candidates and they have plenty of time to cast the net wide as Sir Clive will remain in post until next year. He has been at Charles's side through some of the most critical times: the death of Queen Elizabeth, the succession and the Coronation. He's reported to have come up with a very apt phrase to describe the tone of the new King's reign: 'informal formality'. And it does rather sum up the way Charles goes about his business – sometimes giving and receiving hugs in the way his mother never did."
