Prince Harry’s ‘The Wasp’ rival stepping down but may remain 'a voice in the king’s ear': expert
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.
"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.
"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.
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?’"
"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.
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.
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.
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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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.
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 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."
"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."
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.
"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."
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."
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.
"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."
"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."
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.
"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.