King Charles given urgent warning before Queen's death: 'never said goodbye'

In a poignant moment leading up to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles received a critical warning from his closest advisor. 

As the world watched the royal family navigate this challenging time, the urgency of the situation became increasingly apparent. The evening before Her Majesty's death, Princess Anne and Private Secretary Sir Clive Alderton made an urgent call to Charles, emphasising the importance of saying goodbye.

On September 7, Charles, who was 150 miles away in Ayrshire for official business, was implored to return to Balmoral swiftly. Robert Hardman, in his book Charles III: New King. New Court, details the conversation: Sir Clive stressed, “Think how you would feel if you never said goodbye.”

The following morning, Charles was flown by helicopter with Camilla and reached out to family members, including Prince William and Prince Harry, urging them to come to Balmoral. 

He arrived at his Scottish retreat, Birkhall, before 10:30 am and borrowed a Land Rover to rush to the Queen's bedside. Tragically, he was not present when she passed away at 3:10 pm; having stepped away for a moment to clear his head, he received the news of her death while driving back to Balmoral. At that moment, he was first addressed as 'Your Majesty,' marking his transition to King.

Since the Queen's passing, Sir Clive Alderton has taken on the role of the most senior aide at Buckingham Palace. 

A trusted advisor to both the King and Queen Camilla since 2006, he has had a distinguished career, including serving as Britain's Ambassador to Morocco and positions in Poland, Belgium, Singapore, and France.