TMK, Kate's private secretary is still there. Lieutenant Colonel Tom White is a combat veteran and former Royal Marines commando. He was previously equerry to the late Queen Elizabeth II. His loyalty to the Crown is unquestioned.
Kate's previous private secretary, Hannah Cockburn-Logie, had resigned in December 2022 "for personal reasons." The position had remained vacant until Tom White was hired in January 2024.
William's private secretary is Ian Patrick. Patrick is a former diplomat and a "well-established public relations expert." He was hired in Feb 2024.
William and Kate call off hunt for new Palace chief with 'low ego and emotional intelligence'
By Emily Prescott for The Mail On Sunday
Published: 17:51 EDT, 11 May 2024 | Updated: 18:01 EDT, 11 May 2024
Prince William has suspended his bid to find a chief executive to overhaul his Kensington Palace office.
The search was announced last September amid suggestions that the Prince wanted a 'revolutionary' restructure to make his and Kate's household more corporate.
Headhunters Odgers Berndtson had been charged with finding dynamic candidates who were 'emotionally intelligent, with 'low ego' [and] strong self-awareness'.
But eight months on, the ambition has fallen flat and the search has been called off, despite a source saying that the lack of a strong leader and 'all-seeing eye' has left the couple's office 'rudderless' at a time when the Princess is also dealing with her cancer diagnosis.
Traditionally, Royal households have been led by a ferocious private secretary, often an ex-Army officer.
In the late Queen's early reign, this role was filled by the legendary Alan 'Tommy' Lascelles, portrayed as a curmudgeonly enforcer in Netflix's The Crown, and known as 'the snake who saved the monarchy'.
A source tells me: 'The Waleses need their Tommy Lascelles. The CEO appointment was meant to have been finished by now. They are rudderless without one.'
William and Kate have two new private secretaries – Lieutenant-Colonel Tom White and former diplomat Ian Patrick – but they are still learning the ropes and were intended to report to the new CEO.
The source added: 'There's the sense the King's team feels quite solid – his private secretary Clive Alderton has an iron grip on things – whereas it doesn't seem as clear at Kensington Palace. Their household seems less sure-footed.'
William's former private secretary, Jean-Christophe Gray, announced his resignation after it was first revealed that a CEO was to be appointed, although he insisted the two facts were not linked. It is understood he has now left his office.
There is also said to be a highly charged atmosphere at Kensington Palace's communications department, which is still reeling from the debacle of Kate's Photoshopped Mother's Day photograph.
A Kensington Palace spokesman said last night: 'With everything going on, the Royal Household's focus is on the Princess's recovery, so no appointment has been made.'
Edit: Ian Patrick.
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Apparently the pay is notoriously low also.
It does seem to explain part of the reason they have such a shambolic PR response to this debacle.
The RF just hire braindead toffs.
This just gets weirder and weirder
Kate’s private secretary was hired in January 2024 - yikes. They’ve likely never met. he must be on board with the fake IG photo and wrote the apology. He must have helped create the AI video on the bench.
His resume reads quite a hard man and unlike any of Kate's previous private secretaries. I agree he probably never met Kate, likely hired by William. I'm sure Tom White is guarding the door and ensuring that those who must be admitted to the inner sanctum (nurses, etc) stay quiet.
It actually explains so much like why Kate’s team would be on board with so many of the gaffes, they are really the same team.
Pay peanuts. Get monkeys.
What a clown show. William is disreputable and messy.
Imagine what it'll be like when he's King and faces even more scrutiny... shit show supreme
💯
Of course they need “low ego”. Any ego at all would clash hard with Willy Wanker 🙄
Such a telling “requirement”.
Considering that the “CEO’s” main job description would be, “Keep the cover-up going,” it’s small wonder that they couldn’t find any takers.
When "no ego" means "willingness to take the rap when the Crown prosecutors come knocking"
Could it be that William and Kate have had enough of the “men in grey” (as Diana described them)? Maybe like Harry, Diana and Fergie, they had enough of their lives being dictated? Perhaps Elizabeth II allowed her life to be dictated by them and the younger generation are trying to break free? Perhaps in protest, Catherine and, children are disappearing until the influence of the men in grey are gone?
William, no.
Why would Kate, the girl who switched universities at a large risk to her education and proceeded to stalk William for 10 years, give up the crown? William has also wanted to be king his whole life, this doesn’t make sense. I can’t see either of them ever giving up the crown.
She applied before the deadline. William made his choice known after the deadline. And when she started at uni she started a relationship with someone else. She was with that Rupert guy her entire first year. You should read tabloids with a pinch of salt and not believe everything you read. By the way she didn't stalk him for 10 years. She was in a relationship with him. And they got engaged after SEVEN years together. Just saying.