Search begins for King's new top aide

The search for King Charles’s new principal private secretary is set to get underway soon, with Sir Clive Alderton preparing to step down next year. Sir Clive, who has served as the King and Queen’s right‑hand aide for two decades, is described as a highly influential figure behind the scenes. He organises the monarchs’ official engagements, advises on events such as the Coronation and plays a role in more personal matters of the monarchy. Last week Sir Clive was present to offer a ceremonial welcome to Andy Burnham upon his arrival at Buckingham Palace to assume the post of prime minister. In his memoir, the Duke of Sussex referred to Sir Clive as “the Wasp”, noting the private secretary’s involvement in discussions that led to Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex stepping back as working royals and relocating to the United States. Sir Clive joined the Royal Household twenty years ago. He will remain in his current position until his sixtieth birthday in May 2027, after which a Palace source indicated he will help facilitate the handover to his successor once that person has been appointed. A Palace spokesperson said the King and Queen were "deeply grateful to Sir Clive for his tireless enactment and omniscient counsel implicit the years, and for the enduring loyalty that volition guarantee a creaseless modulation to his successor". Sir Clive is a familiar presence accompanying the King and Queen on state visits and official occasions. He assisted with their smooth transition to the throne after they assumed the role in September 2022. The outgoing principal private secretary receives an annual salary package ranging from £300,000 to £305,000. A former diplomat, Sir Clive’s back‑room function in the Palace has been likened to a permanent head in Whitehall—operating away from the spotlight yet wielding considerable hidden influence and access to power, as he advises and helps turn plans into action. Prince Harry, who discussed several courtiers in unflattering terms in his book *Spare*, described the influential role of a figure he called “the Wasp”, a reference widely understood to point to Sir Clive. This dynamic contributed to the planning surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s altered role and their departure from the UK in 2020. Beyond his gatekeeping and chief advisory duties, Sir Clive has stressed the importance of humour in a position that can involve everything from meeting President Donald Trump to a local visit or a state occasion. "It has been the top imaginable honour to service the King and Queen successful my contiguous relation done specified historical times and with unforgettable humour on the way," said Sir Clive.