King Charles's staff hit with redundancy notices during church services commemorating the Queen
13 September 2022, 21:39 | Updated: 14 September 2022, 10:08
Up to 100 long-standing members of King Charles staff have been hit with redundancy notices as the new monarchy's base moves from Clarence House to Buckingham Palace.
The employees at the King’s former official residence, including some who have worked there for decades, received the letters warning them that they could lose their jobs during the Tuesday's thanksgiving service for the Queen in Edinburgh.
Private secretaries, the finance office, the communications team and household staff are among those who received notice that their jobs were at risk, the Guardian reported. Many had believed they would be amalgamated into the new King's household at Buckingham Palace.
One source told the paper: “Everybody is absolutely livid, including private secretaries and the senior team. All the staff have been working late every night since Thursday, to be met with this. People were visibly shaken by it.”
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In a letter to staff the King's top aide Sir Clive Alderton wrote: “The change in role for our principals will also mean change for our household … The portfolio of work previously undertaken in this household supporting the former Prince of Wales’s personal interests, former activities and household operations will no longer be carried out, and the household … at Clarence House will be closed down.
"It is therefore expected that the need for the posts principally based at Clarence House, whose work supports these areas will no longer be needed.”
The King’s private secretary added: “I appreciate that this is unsettling news and I wanted to let you know of the support that is available at this point.”
Sir Clive added that certain staff providing “direct, close, personal support and advice” to Charles and Camilla would remain in post.
No final decisions are understood to have been taken, as a consultation period, which will begin after the state funeral next Monday, needs to be completed first.
Staff who are made redundant are expected to be offered searches for alternative employment across all royal households, assistance in finding new jobs externally and an “enhanced” redundancy payment beyond the statutory minimum.
A Clarence House spokesman said: “Following last week’s accession, the operations of the household of the former Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have ceased and, as required by law, a consultation process has begun. Our staff have given long and loyal service and, while some redundancies will be unavoidable, we are working urgently to identify alternative roles for the greatest number of staff.”
It has not yet been confirmed whether the King and Queen Consort will live at Buckingham Palace.
According to Clarence House’s annual review, the King employed the full-time equivalent of 101 staff.
There are 31 in the private secretaries’ office, including private and assistant private secretaries, research, administrative and equerry staff.
