King Charles 'to axe staff at Windsor Castle in the coming weeks'

King Charles ‘set to axe a number of staff at Windsor Castle in the coming weeks’ with royal workers ‘extremely worried about their futures’

  • Staff are said to be in a state of ‘dread’, with others ‘resigned’ to job losses
  • Members of the Queen’s personal staff including her ladies-in-waiting at risk
  • 100 members of staff at Clarence House are also on redundancy notice

Staff at Windsor Castle are in a state of ‘dread’ and worry about their futures amid reports the King is to axe key members of the late Queen’s team, it was revealed last night.

As part of a radical overhaul of staffing across royal residences staff at the castle fear they may be made redundant before the New Year, the Mirror revealed late on Friday evening.

A source form within Windsor Castle told the paper staff are ‘extremely worried about their futures’ amid the current cost of living crisis and poor state of the economy.

They added: ‘It’s a really testing time. Many are already resigned to leaving jobs they have cherished for years. It’s left a real sense of dread among staff.’

It is feared staff could be let go ‘within weeks’. 

The news comes after King Charles previously put 100 staff on redundancy notice at Clarence House after his ascension to the throne meant the household would be ‘closed down’.

Workers at the castle say it is ‘eerily quiet’ since the death of the Queen, at which time they were preparing to welcome her back to her much-loved home.

Staff at Windsor Castle believe they could be made redundant before the New Year

A source told The Mirror staff are ‘extremely worried about their futures’ amid the current cost of living crisis and poor state of the economy

Among the staff believed to be at risk are the Queen’s former ladies-in-waiting (Picture: Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip and one of their corgis at Windsor Castle in 1959)

It is thought that personal staff members including her official ladies-in-waiting are among those at risk of losing their jobs.

The King and Queen Consort are not thought to be planning to spend significant periods of time at the castle in the near future, making it a target for job cuts.

It comes after the 102 members of staff at the King’s former primary residence, Clarence House, were told less than a week after the death of Queen Elizabeth II they could face the sack.

 Clarence House said that some redundancies would be ‘unavoidable’ but that staff would be given an ‘enhanced’ redundancy package

Employees, some of whom have been with Charles for decades, claimed they were told their jobs were at risk while a church service was held for Her late Majesty just four days after she passed away.

Clarence House said that some redundancies would be ‘unavoidable’ but that staff would be given an ‘enhanced’ redundancy package. The details of that package are not known. 

A source told The Guardian in September: ‘Everyone is absolutely livid, including private secretaries and the senior team. All the staff have been working late every night since [the day of the Queen’s death], to be met with this.’

In a letter to staff, the King’s top aide, Sir Clive Alderton, said: ‘The change in role for our principals will also mean change for our household.

‘The portfolio of work previously undertaken in this household supporting the former Prince of Wales’s personal interests, former activities and household operations will no longer be carried out, and the household… at Clarence House will be closed down.

‘It is therefore expected that the need for the posts principally based at Clarence House, whose work supports these areas will no longer be needed. I appreciate that this is unsettling news and I wanted to let you know of the support that is available at this point.’

The letter added that certain staff providing ‘direct, close, personal support and advice’ to the King and Queen Camilla will remain in post.

Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment, but was not immediately available. 

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