Clive Alderton, King Charles's powerful private secretary, and the man many see as the main obstacle to Harry's potential reconciliation with his family, is reportedly thinking about retiring. And trust me, this news has sent shockwaves through royal circles!
Now, for those of you who might not be familiar with Alderton, let me fill you in. This guy has been like a brick wall in the royal household. He’s the ultimate gatekeeper, controlling access to King Charles — including for his own son, Harry. And here's where it gets juicy: in Harry's memoir Spare, the prince took aim at Alderton, even nicknaming him "The WASP." If that doesn’t tell you how bad things are between them, I don't know what will.
But here’s where things get really interesting. According to Tina Brown — who’s no stranger to insider royal gossip — there’s a deep-seated personal animosity between Alderton and Harry. This bad blood has been a driving factor in Alderton’s advice to King Charles about keeping Harry at arm’s length. Can you imagine someone with a personal grudge controlling access to your own father?
Now, let’s talk about what this potential retirement could mean. Without Alderton’s influence, there could be a shift in relations between Harry and the royal family, but — and I need to be honest here — even if Alderton steps aside, that doesn’t necessarily open the floodgates for reconciliation. The real issue here isn’t Clive Alderton, it’s that woman: Meghan Markle.
Think about it. Even if Alderton retires and someone more sympathetic to Harry takes over, do we really believe Meghan will just let Harry make his own decisions? This is the woman who transformed Harry from the darling of the royal family into a man who spends his time trashing his own relatives for the world to see. It’s clear: Meghan controls the narrative in their relationship, and that won’t change just because of one staff change.
Isn't it interesting how Alderton’s potential retirement comes at a time when the Sussexes seem to be struggling to maintain relevance in Hollywood? Their Spotify deal is gone, their Netflix content isn’t exactly setting the world on fire, and their reputation in America has definitely lost some shine. Suddenly, a possible royal comeback seems like a convenient opportunity, right?
But let’s be real here: William and Catherine aren’t naïve. They’ve seen enough of the Sussexes’ antics to last a lifetime. Harry once had a place in the royal lineup — the Harry who served his country, who stood by his brother, and who understood duty. But that Harry is gone, replaced by one who’s now using his platform to make money and create drama.
While Tina Brown mentioned Harry’s "shaped hole" in the royal family, it’s clear that the hole isn’t about the "old Harry" we used to admire. It’s about the version of Harry who’s using his family as fodder for media attention. Meanwhile, William, Catherine, and the rest of the working royals continue to do the hard work of connecting with the public and fulfilling their royal duties. And they’ve been doing it with grace and dignity, unlike Harry and Meghan.
I’ve been hearing whispers that the Sussexes are in full damage control mode, seeing Alderton’s potential departure as their last chance to worm their way back into royal relevance. But here’s what I think: they’ll try to use this as leverage. Expect more leaks about Harry’s supposed desperate attempts to reconcile with his father. There will likely be stories about how much he misses his family, how he wants his children to know their cousins, and how he’s seen the light. But let’s be clear: behind it all will be Meghan, manipulating every move as usual.
But let’s think logically for a second. Even if Alderton retires and his replacement is more sympathetic to Harry, what would reconciliation even look like? Let’s not forget the damage Harry and Meghan have done. They’ve accused the royal family of racism, questioned the institution, attacked key royals, and monetized their royal ties while simultaneously trashing the monarchy. Do they really think all of that will just be forgiven because one person retires?
And don’t forget about Catherine. After everything she’s gone through with her cancer treatment, does she really need to deal with the Sussexes' drama right now? Or William, who’s been supporting both his wife and his father through their respective health battles? They’ve got enough to deal with without the added stress of whatever new chaos Harry and Meghan might bring.
Now, let’s talk timing. Isn't it interesting how Alderton's potential retirement comes just when the Sussexes are struggling to stay relevant? Just when they’ve realized that maybe their "independent royal" plan isn’t going as smoothly as they hoped? They claimed they wanted privacy, yet they've done more interviews and exposed more about their lives than they ever did as working royals. They’ve turned their own privacy invasion into a media career.
But here's the thing: the monarchy isn’t some reality show where you can just write yourself back in when the ratings drop. It’s an institution that’s been around for over a thousand years, based on duty, service, and loyalty — three concepts that seem completely foreign to Harry and Meghan.
What frustrates me the most is how they’ve handled their "exile." Instead of proving everyone wrong and becoming the global humanitarians they claimed to want to be, they’ve turned into professional complainers. And now, with Alderton potentially stepping down, they see this as their shot to return, as if the monarchy is just a backup plan. But it’s not.
The British public has a long memory. We remember every slight, every accusation, and every attempt to undermine our beloved monarchy. We see the Sussexes for who they really are: people who think they can modernize the monarchy without respecting it, and monetize it without serving it.
And what’s truly heartbreaking is the impact this has on the next generation. Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are growing up without knowing their royal family, while Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have lost an uncle due to all this drama.
Here’s the truth: the monarchy will survive. It has survived far worse than the Sussex Saga. Alderton’s retirement might create an opening for change, but it won’t be the dramatic reconciliation some are hoping for. This is about trust, respect, and understanding what it means to be part of the royal family. Until Harry and Meghan get that, no change in staff will fix this situation.
