King Charles III fires 100 employees during ceremony in honour of Queen Elizabeth II

Around 100 staff members at Clarence House, the residence of King Charles III when he was Prince of Wales before becoming the new king, have been told they will soon be made redundant amid ceremonies to bid farewell to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

As many as 100 workers at the King’s former official residence have received letters informing them that their services are no longer required.

The Guardian has revealed that they will be helped to find new jobs, which could be some task as those affected include private secretaries, the finance office, the communications team and household staff.

Some of them have decades of seniority and received the news in the middle of a service in honour of the Queen at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh on Monday.

“Everyone is furious, including the private secretaries and the command team,” an unnamed source told the Guardian.

“All the staff had been working very hard since Thursday night to then find this. People are very upset.”

In a letter, accessed by the newspaper, Charles III‘s chief adviser Clive Alderton told staff that “the change of role for our superiors will also mean changes for the residence”.

“The portfolio of work previously held by this residence in support of the Prince of Wales’ personal interests, former domestic activities and operations will no longer continue, and Clarence House will be closed,” Alderton said.

“It is, therefore, expected that posts based primarily at Clarence House will no longer be required.”

Clarence House
Clarence House

Compensation above the minimum

Acknowledging that this is “disturbing” news, Alderton informed employees of the support they will receive to relocate to other jobs and of the “increased” severance pay they will receive, over and above that required by law.

According to the Clarence House annual summary, Charles III employed the equivalent of 101 full-time staff, a third of whom worked in the private secretaries’ office.

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