King Charles’ inner circle may be about to shift as a major non royal figure at the heart of the Sussex saga could soon be out of the picture.
Since Prince Harry stepped back from royal duties nearly five years ago, the drama surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has only intensified.
While the headlines usually focus on the main royal family, there are behind the scenes power players who have shaped the story none more influential than the monarch’s long serving private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton.
Alderton, often described as the “gatekeeper” for the King and Queen, has reportedly clashed with Harry for years.
According to palace insiders, the Duke even thinly veiled his dislike in his 2023 memoir, Spare, dubbing a senior aide “The Wasp,” widely believed to be Alderton.
Sources say the pair are “avowed enemies,” with tensions simmering over access, messaging, and palace influence.
Now, whispers suggest that Alderton’s role could be diminishing, potentially reshaping the delicate balance within Clarence House.
Prince Harry’s long-running clash with King Charles’ private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, may be inching toward a dramatic turn.
The Duke of Sussex famously described the aide as “arrogant” and “great at pretending to be polite, even servile,” while warning he could “put you on his list” and “give you such a stab with his outsized stinger that you’d cry out in confusion.”
Now, royal commentator Tina Brown claims via her Substack, Fresh Hell, that the 57 year old is “considering retirement.”
Brown says an “intimate royal source” revealed his potential exit could open the door for a smoother line of communication between Harry and the King.
A replacement with no history with the Duke, she suggests, may help forge a “friendlier path for negotiations.”
The news comes amid ongoing palace tensions, including Prince Andrew’s shocking victory in his long running housing battle over Royal Lodge.
Despite reports that King Charles sought to oust him by cutting funding for security and removing his allowance, the Duke of York has remained put.
