Sir Clive Alderton, Principal Private Secretary to King Charles III, is stepping down next May after 20 years serving the monarch, in a departure timed to coincide with his 60th birthday. He gained notoriety as the aide nicknamed "The Wasp" by the Duke of Sussex in his memoir Spare, where Harry portrayed him as an obstacle to reconciliation with his father, making his exit significant given his outsized influence over royal affairs during a turbulent period for the family.

Alderton joined the then Prince of Wales's household in 2006 as Deputy Private Secretary, at a time when Charles's public image was poor and the household was riven by rivalries dubbed "Wolf Hall". He was promoted to Private Secretary in 2009 and is credited with helping transform Charles's standing, overseeing a smooth accession and coronation, guiding the King through his 2024 cancer diagnosis, and steering this year's State Visit to the US and first visit to Bermuda as a British Overseas Territory. Buckingham Palace now faces losing one of its most senior and consequential courtiers.