Sir Clive Alderton, the most senior aide to King Charles, has announced that he will step down next year.
Sir Clive is Charles’ and Queen Camilla’s principal private secretary.
His resignation will coincide with his 60th birthday in May, and will come 20 years after he first joined the royal household.
In a message to staff, he said: “It has been the greatest imaginable honour to serve the King and Queen in my present role through such historic times and with unforgettable humour along the way.
“That support will continue, in a less formal capacity, for all of my life.”
Sir Clive was a diplomat prior to joining the royal household. He joined the Foreign Office in 1986 and served in Belgium, France, Poland and Singapore.
He was appointed deputy private secretary to Charles and Camilla, then the Prince and Princess of Wales, in 2006, then principal private secretary to the couple in 2015.
Sir Clive was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in the 2013 New Year Honours, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the 2019 Birthday Honours, and Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the 2022 Birthday Honours.
He is also a member of the Privy Council and a trustee of the King Charles III Charitable Fund – previously known as the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund.
