Video Prince Harry believed royal family could have allowed a hybrid role: author Simon Vigar, author of "The Four Wives of Windsor," explains why Prince Harry expected a half-in, half-out role and what led to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's exit from royal duties.
King Charles’ right-hand man is stepping down next year, but his departure may not end his influence behind palace doors. Royal experts told Fox News Digital that "The Wasp" could remain "a voice in the king’s ear" as Charles continues to navigate his fractured relationship with Prince Harry.
Sir Clive Alderton will step down as principal private secretary next year, People magazine reported. His departure will coincide with his 60th birthday after 20 years of service to the royal household.
In his 2023 memoir, "Spare," Harry gave three powerful royal household staffers pointed insect nicknames. Alderton is widely believed to have been "The Wasp" — a fiercely loyal operator and uncompromising defender of the crown.
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Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, leaves the High Court after attending the second day of appeal hearing in a legal challenge against the Home Office over the decision to downgrade his level of police protection in the United Kingdom. Sir Clive Alderton, a palace aide believed to be "The Wasp" in Harry's memoir "Spare," sits on RAVEC, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, which determines official protective security for public figures in the U.K. (Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
"Though Alderton is stepping away from his formal role, courtiers often retain a channel of influence at the palace long after their formal departure," royal commentator Amanda Matta told Fox News Digital.
"It’s possible that ‘The Wasp,’ or others like him, could remain a voice in the king’s ear regardless of their employment status," Matta said.
King Charles III and his Principal Private Secretary Sir Clive Alderton watch racing from the Royal Box during Day 3, Ladies Day, of Royal Ascot 2026 at Ascot Racecourse on June 18, 2026, in Ascot, England. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
"I think their hesitancy with Harry is rooted in not wanting to perpetuate any perceived chaos or scandal within the royal fold. After years of dealing with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and the fallout from Harry and Meghan’s departure for the U.S., it doesn’t really matter what Harry’s intentions are. He might be seen as a threat by the king’s aides on principle."
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"These truly are power brokers at the palace — the people who decide on access, influence and narratives long before the public hears about them," Matta added.
On July 10, King Charles reunited privately with Harry and his family at Highgrove House as they continued efforts to repair a rift that has persisted since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal life.
King Charles III departs following a service for the Order of St. Michael and St. George at St. Paul's Cathedral on May 7, 2026, in London. He is accompanied by his Page of Honour, the Hon. William (Billy) Sackville, the Lady Mayor of London Alderwoman Dame Susan Langley, and his Principal Private Secretary, Sir Clive Alderton. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Harry’s portrait of "The Wasp" came with plenty of sting.
"The Wasp was lanky, charming, arrogant, a ball of jazzy energy," he wrote, as quoted by People magazine. "He was great at pretending to be polite, even servile. You’d assert a fact, something seemingly incontrovertible — I believe the sun rises in the mornings — and he’d stammer that perchance you might consider for a comment the possibility that you’d been misinformed: ‘Well, heh-heh, I don’t know about that, Your Royal Highness, you see, it all depends what you mean by mornings, sir.’"
"Because he seemed so weedy, so self-effacing, you might be tempted to push back, insist on your point, and that was when he’d put you on his list," Harry continued. "A short time later, without warning, he’d give you such a stab with his outsized stinger that you’d cry in confusion. ‘Where the f--- did that come from?’"
A palace spokesperson told People magazine that King Charles (right) and Queen Camilla "are deeply grateful to Clive (left) for his tireless support and wise counsel over the years and for the enduring loyalty that will ensure a smooth transition to his successor." (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
"Harry has long reserved choice words for palace aides whom he has seen as adding to familial tensions," Matta explained. "So he likely does feel a degree of frustration with his father’s entire circle, and that of his grandmother's, the late Queen Elizabeth II, who he previously noted were ‘blocking’ his access to the queen. But it’s clear that Alderton, in particular, got under his skin with his outwardly self-effacing manner that could turn treacherous once you walked away."
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Matta noted that in 2022, Harry said in a televised interview that he was "just making sure that she’s protected and got the right people around her," referring to the queen. Matta said that comment was taken as "an early dig" at her advisors, including Alderton.
"Alderton was said to have unprecedented access to the queen in her later years, briefing her on both official and family matters," she claimed.
From left: Sir Clive Alderton, David Armstrong-Jones, Prince William and King Charles III walk behind Queen Elizabeth II's coffin as it is transported from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster ahead of her lying in state on Sept. 14, 2022, in London. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
People magazine reported Alderton sits on RAVEC, a 10-person committee that determines official protective security for public figures in the U.K. After stepping back as a senior royal in 2020, Harry lost his publicly funded police protection in his home country and is fighting to have it reinstated.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, reacts as he leaves the High Court in central London on April 8, 2025, after a hearing on the British government's decision to downgrade his personal security during visits to Britain. Prince Harry's lawyer outlined threats made against him as King Charles's youngest son appealed against an "unjustified" decision to restrict his police protection in the U.K. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
People reported that a review of the Duke of Sussex’s security arrangements by RAVEC had yet to conclude as of late June.
Harry’s representatives told the outlet that RAVEC’s own terms of reference call for a Risk Management Board review at least once a year. They argued that Harry’s last review was conducted nearly seven years ago.
During happier times, Prince Harry is seen chatting with his father, the former Prince Charles, on April 25, 2015, in Gallipoli, Turkey. (David Caird - Pool/Getty Images)
In May 2025, Harry suggested in an interview with the BBC that he believed his father, as king, could influence RAVEC’s decision. Buckingham Palace has consistently denied that the king can reinstate Harry’s security.
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Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, arrives at Chatham House in central London on July 7, 2026, to attend the Invictus Games Foundation Conversation: From Policy to Practice, as part of the One Year to Go celebrations for the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027. (AFP via Getty Images)
According to the U.K. government’s website, Alderton joined the Foreign Office in 1986 and served in various diplomatic posts. He joined the royal household in 2006 as a deputy private secretary to Charles and Camilla before becoming their private secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
People reported that he served as the queen’s ambassador to Morocco and non-resident ambassador to Mauritania from 2012 to 2015 before becoming Charles and Camilla's principal private secretary.
King Charles III, Queen Camilla and their private secretary Clive Alderton are welcomed by President of the German Bundestag Bärbel Bas at the Reichstag Building in Berlin, Germany, on March 30, 2023. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Several royal experts told Fox News Digital that Alderton harbors no ill will toward the king’s younger son, saying his priority has always been shielding the crown from scandal.
Sir Clive Alderton said in a message to staff, shared with People magazine, "It has been the greatest imaginable honor to serve the King and Queen in my present role through such historic times and with unforgettable humor along the way. That support will continue, in a less formal capacity, for all of my life." (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
"Sir Clive Alderton is unquestionably one of the most influential figures in King Charles’ orbit," Kinsey Schofield, host of "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital.
"The private secretary is effectively the gatekeeper to the sovereign, manages access, information and the logistics surrounding the monarch. Harry would have understood perfectly well that Alderton was not simply another anonymous man in a suit. But I also think Harry tends to attribute enormous power to courtiers when he dislikes the outcome of a situation."
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex departs from The Invictus Games Foundation Conversation: From Policy to Practice at Chatham House on July 7, 2026, in London. Multiple royal experts told Fox News Digital that there's no doubt King Charles' younger son misses his life in the U.K. (Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images)
"These people can advise, warn and facilitate, but they do not overrule the king," she said. "Alderton’s influence ultimately derives from the confidence Charles places in him. As for ‘The Wasp’ nickname, it’s a jarring personal description. I think it tells you almost as much about Harry’s resentment toward the palace establishment as it does about Alderton."
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Harry has been at odds with his family since he and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, stepped back as senior royals and moved to California in 2020. They cited intrusions by the British press and a lack of support from the palace as reasons for their royal exit. They aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s memoir further strained his relationship with his family.
Harry has repeatedly suggested that senior courtiers can exert significant influence over the sovereign. He was particularly explicit about the late queen and her advisors.
Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, Sir Clive Alderton, Catherine, Princess of Wales and Sophie Densham depart Buckingham Palace to watch a military procession down The Mall marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day in London, on May 5, 2025. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
"Courtiers matter because access matters," Schofield explained. "They control diaries, facilitate conversations, manage competing demands and advise the monarch on potential risks. When relationships within the family are already strained, those functions become even more significant. But I would push back against the idea that courtiers somehow stand between a helpless Harry and a helpless Charles."
Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, looks on as Britain's King Charles III leaves Westminster Abbey after the coronation ceremonies in central London on May 6, 2023. He was sitting a few rows away from his family. (Ben Stansall/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
That issue of access surfaced days before Harry’s July 10 reunion with his father. Harry and royal officials publicly disputed an offer for him to stay at Buckingham Palace. Palace sources said Harry missed the deadline to accept the accommodation, while Harry’s spokesperson said the offer was withdrawn after he formally accepted it.
"Charles is the king," said Schofield. "His private secretary works for him, not the other way around. Harry’s frustrations with courtiers sometimes appear to overlook that uncomfortable reality. When an aide delivers a decision Harry dislikes, the easiest person to blame is the messenger. Sometimes the message may actually reflect the wishes or priorities of the monarch."
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the David Foster Foundation 40th Anniversary Celebration on Aug. 7, 2026, in Victoria, British Columbia. (The David Foster Foundation via Getty Images)
British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that Alderton’s departure has fueled speculation that the king wants to be "more open to Harry," with the longtime aide stepping down at a relatively young age for the role.
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Sir Clive Alderton (Principal Private Secretary to King Charles III) travels down The Mall in a horse-drawn carriage, from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament, to attend The State Opening of Parliament on July 17, 2024, in London. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
"From all accounts, from those who know him, Sir Alderton is a stalwart supporter of the monarchy," said Fordwich. "Given his position, he was an obvious target for Harry, who singled him out, no doubt due to knowing how traditional the role has always been."
"Palace aides like Alderton have been labeled the ‘Men in Grey’ for their bureaucratic, ubiquitous nature," said Matta. "But Prince Harry’s characterization of Clive Alderton as ‘The Wasp’ certainly gives a new perspective to how seriously they take their role. ... This would, sometimes, mean taking a hard line even between the monarch and family members if the aide believes that was the best course of action to uphold the interests of the monarchy."
Ahead of the release of his memoir "Spare," Prince Harry has had storylines leaked. He also conducted interviews that captivated the public's interest. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023)
"Even now, King Charles funnels all of his communications, official and personal alike, through his staff — he doesn't have a mobile phone — and so they really are a formidable ‘line of defense’ for Harry getting one-on-one time with his father."
"I would love reconciliation with my family," Prince Harry told the BBC in 2025. "There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has." The monarch is still being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that Alderton’s influence on the monarchy will undoubtedly endure long after his departure.
"Colleagues describe Sir Alderton as ‘the ringmaster,’ the person who could control complex, chaotic situations without drama," she explained. "He was valued for candor. He did not simply agree. He advised, and he did so with the institution at the center of every decision.
King Charles and his younger son Prince Harry are seen here before the Duke of Sussex's exit from royal life. (Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
"His relationship with Prince Harry was notably difficult. From the palace perspective, Sir Clive acted as a constitutional safeguard, ensuring that personal appeals did not override the advice and structures that protect the monarchy."
People reported that the palace is recruiting Alderton’s successor, who is expected to start in the spring or summer of 2027. Alderton's replacement will also take his spot on RAVEC.
Stephanie Nolasco is an Entertainment Reporter for Fox News Digital.
