The relationship between Prince Harry and King Charles remains distant. They’ve only seen each other a few times since Harry left the UK, and those meetings haven’t been enough to truly fix things between them.

But now, there’s talk that a possible reconciliation might happen sooner than expected—if one key person steps aside. That person is the King’s private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, who’s reportedly planning to retire early.

Sir Clive, often described as the King’s “hatchet man” for his role in handling tough situations, is believed to be one of the main obstacles keeping Harry from reconnecting with the rest of the royal family.

Who is Sir Clive Alderton?

In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry described his father’s most trusted aide as both “weedy” and “arrogant.”

He wrote:
“The Wasp [Sir Clive] was lanky, charming, arrogant, a ball of jazzy energy. He was great at pretending to be polite, even servile.”

Harry explained that because Sir Clive came across as weak and humble, people might feel confident pushing back or standing their ground — but that’s when trouble started.

“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.”

Then, out of nowhere, Sir Clive would strike back sharply: