What does it mean?

He’s the man who delivered a King – and, for that matter, a Queen – masterminded the banishment of one particularly problematic relative, while cunningly corralling another.

In short Sir Clive Alderton, Principal Private Secretary to His Majesty King Charles III, is arguably the most formidable and consequential courtier of the modern era.

But to many readers of the Daily Mail, he will be simply known as ‘The Wasp’.

That was the ostentatiously offensive nickname given to him by the Duke of Sussex (or perhaps, more appropriately, his ghostwriter) in his vengeance-laden memoir, Spare – although one that, in the circumstances, must now surely be worn as a badge of honour?

And while there are bound to be cheers from Montecito today when they learn that Sir Clive is sensationally set to retire after 20 years working as King Charles’ gatekeeper, the news will sadly leave Buckingham Palace without one of its ‘big beasts’.

For it can be confirmed that after two decades of the most loyal of service, leonine Sir Clive has announced that he will leave the royal household next May, a move that coincides with his 60th birthday (a revelation that has prompted some fans to enquire whether he has a Dorian Gray-style portrait in the attic).

The feeling is that now is as good a time as any for him take a well-earned break: to start with he has helped to deliver a relatively problem-free accession (leaky pens aside) and a successful coronation.

The King has also just completed the ‘last of his firsts’ (starting with his first public engagements and home nations visits as monarch, to the big test so far of his reign, this year’s State Visit to the US, and his first to a British Overseas, Territory, Bermuda).

Sir Clive Alderton, Principal Private Secretary to His Majesty King Charles III, is arguably the most formidable and consequential courtier of the modern era

He has also steered the King – and indeed the nation – through the dark days of the monarch’s cancer diagnosis in 2024. Charles himself, I am told, is in a ‘good place’ health-wise, as it stands.

In all (and safely assuming that as a long-term diplomat Sir Clive’s pensionable age is 60), next year is a natural moment to move on.

While those outside of royal circles may ask why the departure of a courtier is so significant, it is worth casting your mind back.

When life-long diplomat Mr Alderton, as he was then, joined the then Prince of Wales’ Household in 2006 as Deputy Private Secretary, Charles’ public standing was in a very different place.

With a household dubbed ‘Wolf Hall’ for its interpersonal rivalries and the prince suffering from a perennially poor public image, there was much to work on.

While no-one, not even his most ardent admirers, would claim Sir Clive and his team have always got it right, there is no doubt that he was absolutely instrumental in turning the tanker round.

In 2009 he was promoted to Private Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the prince and the Duchess of Cornwall (and made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order, a sign of royal favour, in 2013).

His rise in the royal household was only briefly halted when he necessarily left in 2012 to become Ambassador to Morocco, before being lured back in 2015 when he was appointed the couple’s Principal Private Secretary – a title created especially for him.

Sir Clive shakes Andy Burnham’s hand as he arrives at Buckingham Palace for an audience with King Charles III where he was invited to become Prime Minister — July 20, 2026

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Keir Starmer, Sir Clive Alderton, King Charles, and Idris Elba during a Youth Opportunity Summit at St James’s Palace in London — July, 2025

He served in that position until the prince’s accession to the throne on September 8 2022, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, when he became Principal Private Secretary to His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen.

He is also a member of the Privy Council and a Trustee of the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund.

Outsiders would say that one of his greatest successes was to ‘de-politicise’ the notoriously interventionist heir to the throne – ‘no more ‘black spider memos for you, Sir!’ – in time for him to accede to the throne, while ensuring a proud legacy of national and international change as Prince of Wales.

Insiders would probably add to that the transformation of his wife, Camilla, from Duchess of Cornwall to Queen, something that was simply unthinkable when he joined royal service.

While there will always be those who have strong opinions on the matter, few can argue that she hasn’t carried out her duties with enthusiasm, diligence and good humour and carved a space for herself in public life, tackling some truly thorny issue such as domestic abuse.

Needless to say, the King is a much, much happier man with his wife standing by his side.

That’s not to say, of course, backs haven’t been put up or hackles raised along the way.

There’s no doubt that Sir Clive relishes the game of diplomacy – ‘he puts the ‘M’ into Machiavellian,’ says one wag.

Best-selling crime thriller writer Peter James’ recent detective novel, set in the royal household, described the King’s fictional long-standing aide, Sir Peregrine Greaves, as an aide so silky-smooth it appears he is ‘gliding on wheels’ and, to be fair, he didn’t have far to look for inspiration.

King Charles III and his private secretary Sir Clive arriving for the King’s Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace in December 2024

King Charles III and Donald Trump meet Sir Clive Alderton at Windsor Castle during the US President’s state visit in September, 2025

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To say that Prince Harry hates his father’s gatekeeper is an understatement, and he didn’t hold back in his memoir, as he described the then triumvirate of powerful royal aides at the heads of each of the three royal households (Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace) as ‘the bee, the fly and the wasp’.

Sir Clive, it seems, was the worst of the three in his book, being ‘arrogant’ and ‘great at pretending to be polite, even servile’, but would ‘put you on his list’ and ‘give you such a stab with his outsized stinger that you’d cry out in confusion’.

Harry firmly blamed the courtier for being a roadblock in attempts to reconcile with his father.

While that may in part be true, friends of the diplomat pour scorn on this claim, suggesting no aide would be so arrogant to stand in the way of father and son on a personal basis.

But, of course, if the prince behaved in such a way that would place his father in potentially constitutionally tricky waters, he would not be doing his job if he didn’t protect the monarch, they add.

Whether his departure changes relations in the future will be interesting to see.

The same, it might be said, went for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, another family member who might not mourn Sir Clive’s departure. For there is no doubt that the courtier was instrumental in finding a way to banish the former Duke of York from royal life, strip him of his titles and effectively evict him from Royal Lodge.

While that problem is far from solved yet, the foundations to do so are now laid.

Spares aside, though, Sir Clive is a delightful companion (albeit one whose political antennae are never on pause) and it’s fair to say that having handled some of the most delicate constitutional issues since the abdication of 1936, his fingerprints are most definitely all over the high points of this reign.

He is genuinely passionate about both king and country and if he has enjoyed pulling the levers of power along the way, the best interests of both have always been foremost in his mind.

The search for his successor will take place both internally and externally will start soon, with a replacement hopefully in place by spring of next year.

It is understood that Sir Clive elected to share this news now so that an ‘open and rigorous recruitment process’ for his successor can begin, with the aim of identifying the ‘highest calibre external and internal candidates’.

The timeframe additionally allows for an appropriate period of handover to his eventual successor in spring/ summer next year, once an appointment is made.

Fellow aides have paid tribute to the ‘immense and critical’ role he has played in supporting Their Majesties over his time in service, in particular through the meticulous planning for Accession over many years, his chairing of the Coronation Committee, and managing the significant first years of the new reign with all their highlights and complexities, nationally, internationally – and closer to home.

In a message to staff today he said: ‘It has been the greatest imaginable honour to serve The King and Queen in my present role through such historic times and with unforgettable humour along the way. That support will continue, in a less formal capacity, for all of my life.’

The King and Queen are said to be ‘deeply grateful’ to Sir Clive for his ‘tireless support and wise counsel’ over the years, and for the enduring loyalty that will ensure a smooth transition to his successor.

One court jester joked that he would take a while to consider the ‘longer term opportunities and possibilities – for which spending a little less time supporting the Royal Family and a little more focussing on his own family is an understandable ambition. He will be sorely missed.’

Royal writer Valentine Low, author of ‘Power and the Palace’ and ‘Courtiers’ described Sir Clive as the ‘quintessential courtier’ – smooth, charming and urbane – and says: ‘Alderton is one of the significant and successful courtiers of recent years, up there with the late Queen’s private secretary Christopher Geidt.

‘He played a vital role in helping Charles transition from Prince of Wales to King, moulding a once-meddlesome prince who would fire off letters to ministers into a monarch who was scrupulous about keeping within the constitutional guidelines. The fact that Charles has been largely free of political controversy since ascending the throne is without a doubt down to Alderton.

‘As such [he] was adept in handling Charles, whose private secretaries did not always last the course. He used humour skillfully to defuse tricky situations, but was not afraid to have difficult conversations.

He was not without his critics, however, who saw him as Machiavellian. One insider said Alderton was like a figure from Wolf Hall, ‘a schemer, a chess player’.

‘And that was one of his friends.’

A Ryanair passenger asked the airline to add a common feature to their plane seats — something most other aircraft have — only to receive a short and sharp response back

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While Ryanair is well-known for its budget-friendly fares, seasoned and first-time passengers alike will be well aware that this comes at a price. The airline has repeatedly made clear that it is able to offer some of the most competitive flight prices across Europe by cutting costs on non-essential luxuries.

This translates to reduced legroom in order to accommodate more passengers on each flight, no Wi-Fi connectivity, and no charging points for travellers’ devices. However, many passengers are prepared to forgo these common comforts in exchange for lower fares.

One traveller, Maxine McCourt, called on the airline to install pockets on the backs of seats – a feature found on most other aircraft – to give passengers somewhere to keep smaller belongings during their journey.

“@Ryanair would it really have broke the bank to put a wee net here?” Maxine wrote in the overlay text of her TikTok video, as she gestured to the seat in front of her on the flight while holding her earphones case in her hand.

The majority of airlines feature mesh or fabric pockets on the reverse of their seats, typically housing the safety information card, and which passengers can use to stow items such as headphones, snacks, or reading material.

Rather than rummaging through a bag while cramped in a narrow seat, passengers can simply remove their belongings prior to take-off and have them readily accessible throughout the flight.

However, Ryanair evidently saw no need to incorporate this additional feature into its aircraft. Instead, the carrier delivered a three-word response to Maxine through its own video.

After re-posting Maxine’s video, an image of a Ryanair aircraft appeared, complete with a face superimposed on it, as the airline proceeded to share its blunt reply.

“You have hands, use them. If you don’t like it, buy your own plane,” it stated in the video, underlining in the post’s caption: “Use your hands.”

Viewers quickly flooded the comments section to express their opinions, with some supporting Ryanair’s choice not to install the pockets in their seats.

“They removed them pockets, because people are dirty, and this decision saves time on cleaning,” one person remarked.

Another concurred, writing: “Ryanair got a point here. It’s not just the cost of the net, but the fuel to transport it across a continent 1,000 times.”

A third commenter noted: “Makes sense as whenever you fly on a plane with a net behind the seats everyone just leaves rubbish in them, means you don’t waste time cleaning.”

Another observer added: “I agree with Ryanair whole agenda, their whole market is not ‘we are the best’, it’s ‘we are the most affordable’, this is exactly how lower prices and fight the big names, they have to get profit from the flights, so they have to remove anything unnecessary so they can maintain low prices, I am all for that.”

The Met Office issued its forecast for the next week, which is set to be warm and sunny in York and North Yorkshire whilst a heatwave blasts the south of the country.

Tomorrow (July 28) will see sunny intervals with temperatures reaching a high of 27C, however the evening will remain mostly dry with clear spells and light winds, with temperatures dropping to a minimum of 15C.

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Wednesday (July 29) will start bright for many, but the north of the region will see increasing cloud cover during the morning – despite this, it will feel very warm in the sunshine, with temperatures reaching a maximum of 27C.

The night will remain mostly dry with clear spells, and temperatures will drop to a minimum of 15C.

Thursday (July 30) will see a change in weather as it becomes cooler and less settled; the day will start with sunny intervals, but cloud cover will increase as the day progresses.

The maximum temperature will be 23C, and the minimum temperature will be 10C.

Queues outside the ice cream van in King’s Staith on a hot day (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

Friday will see sunny intervals with a maximum temperature of 22C, with minimums of 9C, and Saturday share the same maximum but only drop to 11C.

Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Gregory Wolverson said: “This is a short-lived spell of heat, but temperatures will climb quickly through the first half of the week, particularly in the southeast.

“By Wednesday, some areas could see temperatures in the mid-30°Cs, and while the heat will not be widespread across the whole of the UK, it will be enough for parts of the southeast to likely meet official heatwave criteria by Thursday.

“Elsewhere, the weather will be more changeable, and the change to cooler, more unsettled conditions will arrive sooner from the north and west, with a mix of sunshine and showers. Across northern areas, it is possible there will be heavier showers with a small risk of isolated thunderstorms through the week.”

Many enjoyed ice cream in the city centre (Image: Newquest)

The Met Office has also issued a yellow heat-health alert for Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, and South West regions for the early part of the week – from 9am on Tuesday, July 28, until 9am on Thursday, July 30.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned that the rising temperatures may increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups.

The UKHSA said: “The existing yellow heat-health alert for the East Midlands, East of England, South East and London has been upgraded to amber and will be in place from 9am on Tuesday, July 28, until 9am on Thursday, July 30.

“A yellow heat-health alert will remain in place for Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, and South West regions for the same time period.

King’s Staith and South Promenade were a sun-trap in York (Image: Kevin Glenton)

“There is no alert in place for the North East and North West regions.”

Despite some rainfall over the weekend and through the coming week, particularly over Scotland and Northern Ireland, wildfire conditions are forecast to remain elevated over much of England and Wales this week.

A National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) spokesperson said: “Fire and rescue services have already faced significant pressure this summer, responding to wildfire incidents during prolonged spells of warm and dry conditions.

“With the potential for further hot weather ahead, services remain prepared and ready to respond.”

Warm tributes have been paid to grandmother Celine Brazil

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Tributes have been paid to a ‘wonderful’ bride who died less than a week after her wedding.

Celine Brazil, died on Thursday, July 23, surrounded by family at St. Francis Hospice in her hometown of Dublin.

Her death came just days after the mum-of-four tied the knot with her longtime partner Niall. Their wedding was held last weekend, with their friends and family all in attendance to celebrate the happy couple as they said ‘I do’.

Tributes have poured in for Celine following her tragic death, with the grandmother-of-three remembered as “the most beautiful bride with the biggest heart”, reports DublinLive.

Grainger’s Hanlons Corner in Cabra were among those to pay tribute to Celine, with the pub sharing a message on their social media pages which read: “Everyone at Graingers Hanlon’s Corner would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the late Celine Brazil.

“Celine was a wonderful person who always lit up the room whenever she walked into the pub. She was always in great form, full of laughter, kindness, and good humour.

“She brought smiles to so many faces and it was a genuine pleasure to have known her.

“She will be greatly missed by all of us, but fondly remembered for the warmth, joy, and happiness she brought to everyone around her. Rest in peace, Celine. Thinking of all who loved her at this sad time.”

Another mourner said: “Very heavy heart today. R.I.P Celine Brazil the most beautiful bride with the biggest heart. You’ll be missed so much. Thinking of Niall and her kids.”

While a third said: “RIP Celine Brazil I will never forget you ,you were just loved so much. May you get the best bed in heaven and the biggest dance floor…. I will miss you forever.”

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Celine will lie in repose at her home on Sunday, with removal on Tuesday morning to Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Sean McDermott Street, arriving for Funeral Mass at 11am. followed by burial in Fingal Cemetery.

As per Celine’s wishes, mourners attending the funeral on Tuesday are asked to please wear bright clothing in her memory.

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Concern is growing for a woman who disappeared after travelling to the Caribbean island of Grenada.

Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Waddell, 44, from North Carolina, was last seen at Grand Anse Beach in the capital St George’s last Wednesday, according to local police.

Authorities have not released any information about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance but have asked local fishermen, boat operators and people who live along the island’s coastline to report any information they might have.

Her husband, Cailen Waddell, a North Carolina parks manager, has also shared her photo on Facebook, issuing a heartfelt plea for her return.

‘I expect nothing less than Liz’s safe return,’ he wrote, ‘So please send your love, light, thoughts and prayers our way.’

He told Grenada Broadcasting Network: ‘My wife is a loving, free-spirited person. She could make friends with anyone. She often did.’

Cailen, who is the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources manager in the city of Cary, flew to Grenada on Friday to help search for his wife, according to his post.

A family friend told NBC News that Elizabeth is thought to have gone for a swim before she vanished, and had left a towel on the pier nearby.

Amanda Romano-Harmon explained that Elizabeth’s travelling companion had been studying at their shared Airbnb at the time.

‘The friend saw her go out and put the towel out and sit down and just kind of was chilling,’ she said.

‘When she finished up her class, she looked out and she didn’t see Liz, so she just went outside and looked around. She didn’t really see her at the beach, but she did find her towel on the pier.’

However, she raised the alarm after Elizabeth, who did not have her phone with her, failed to return.

Elizabeth is described as being 5’5″ tall and having short blonde hair, although a missing person’s poster shared by police shows her with pink hair.

She has a doctorate in physical therapy from the university of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and is the founder of Art of Movement Physical Therapy, based in Cary.

However, she took to Instagram late last year to say she had stopped working due to health issues.

‘I’ve learned to give up control and live in the moment. I listen to my body as much as possible and give myself grace when I can’t do the things I want to do,’ she wrote at the time.

‘I have no regrets. I think I’m supposed to be learning the hard lessons and taking this time to heal and grow.’

Elizabeth and Cailen also became parents for the first time last year after they adopted an adult daughter, Suwan.

Anyone who may have any information as to her whereabouts has been asked to contact Royal Grenada Police.

‘We especially appeal to fishermen, boat operators and residents along the southern coastline to report any sightings or relevant information that may assist in locating Ms Waddell,’ they said in a statement.

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The closures, which the council says are necessary for essential road resurfacing work, begin on Monday, July 27, and will be in place for five weeks.

Peel Way will be closed overnight from 8pm to 6am during that time, with diversions in place.

Work will be carried out from Jubilee Way to a point 50m east of Harvard Road.

Bury Council has confirmed where the closures and diversions will be in place. (Image: Bury Council)

The council has confirmed details of the travel disruption via social media.

In a post on Facebook, Bury Council said: “Peel Way will be closed overnight (8pm-6am) from Mon, July 27 for five weeks.

“Work will take place overnight from Jubilee Way to a point 50m east of Harvard Road.

“Diversion will follow Jubilee Way, Angouleme Way, Rochdale Road and Derby Way and vice versa.”

Drivers in Bury town centre will therefore have to make adjustments to their journeys during the overnight closure periods.

Much-loved Celine Brazil died less than a week on from her wedding

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Tributes have been paid to a ‘wonderful’ bride who died just days after walking down the aisle.

Celine Brazil, died surrounded by family on Thursday, July 23, at St. Francis Hospice in her hometown of Dublin.

Her death came just days after the mum-of-four tied the knot with her longtime partner Niall. Their wedding was held last weekend, with their friends and family all in attendance to celebrate the happy couple as they said ‘I do’.

Tributes have poured in for Celine following her tragic death, with the grandmother-of-three remembered as “the most beautiful bride with the biggest heart”, reports DublinLive.

Grainger’s Hanlons Corner in Cabra were among those to pay tribute to Celine, with the pub sharing a message on their social media pages which read: “Everyone at Graingers Hanlon’s Corner would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the late Celine Brazil.

“Celine was a wonderful person who always lit up the room whenever she walked into the pub. She was always in great form, full of laughter, kindness, and good humour.

“She brought smiles to so many faces and it was a genuine pleasure to have known her.

“She will be greatly missed by all of us, but fondly remembered for the warmth, joy, and happiness she brought to everyone around her. Rest in peace, Celine. Thinking of all who loved her at this sad time.”

Another mourner said: “Very heavy heart today. R.I.P Celine Brazil the most beautiful bride with the biggest heart. You’ll be missed so much. Thinking of Niall and her kids.”

While a third said: “RIP Celine Brazil I will never forget you ,you were just loved so much. May you get the best bed in heaven and the biggest dance floor…. I will miss you forever.”

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Celine will lie in repose at her home on Sunday, with removal on Tuesday morning to Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Sean McDermott Street, arriving for Funeral Mass at 11am. followed by burial in Fingal Cemetery.

As per Celine’s wishes, mourners attending the funeral on Tuesday are asked to please wear bright clothing in her memory.

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A sailor left stranded in the Pacific Ocean for more than a month after a trip to Hawaii turned into a nightmare has revealed how he survived.

Kai Sato set off from Catalina Island off the California coast on June 7, hoping to sail across the Pacific for the first time solo.

But two weeks into his 2,500 mile journey, his boat’s mast snapped. ​When he ran out of gas trying to get back to shore and his phone died, the 39 year-old was left drifting in despair at the mercy of the elements.

“I cried for a whole week, just drifting south, like miserable,” Sato told Hawaii News Now. “I was literally like a sitting duck, just getting taken south by the current going way off course.”

When all hope seemed lost, Sato told the outlet that he eventually came up with a plan to jerry-rig the sails, using kayak paddles and PVC pipes.

With the patched-up boat it would take him another month to reach the shipping lane between California and Hawaii.

To survive, Sato told Hawaii News Now he ate oatmeal, as well as fish or squid that landed in his vessel.

After running out of drinkable water on July 11, he filled buckets with seawater and placed plastic bags over the top of them to collect the condensation.

“I was just licking that to survive,” Sato told the outlet.

Finally, last Tuesday, the intrepid adventurer he gained the attention of a Pasha Hawaii ship who rescued him.

The crew threw down and roap and he managed to climb aboard their ship.

“Oh my God, yeah, like ecstatic, you know what I mean?” Sato told Hawaii News Now. “I was like crying and like so happy, and then they got me fruit and water, and yeah, they were so good to me, those guys.”

His generous benefactors gave Sato clothes and food after he was forced to live off scraps for weeks. The Pasha Hawaii crew posed for a picture with their newest member, seen beaming in a phone shared the local news outlet.

Sato added that he is now staying with a relative, but is planning his next adventure already. Despite the setbacks of his Hawaii trip he plans on sailing next to the Philippines, some 7,500 miles away from Catalina Island.