King Charles' Staff Could Face Layoffs; Top Aide Sends Notice To Clarence House Workers

Dozens of Clarence House staffers have been told they could lose their jobs as King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla's office operations move to Buckingham Palace following Queen Elizabeth II's death, according to a report.

On Monday, up to 100 employees at the 73-year-old King's former official residence in London, including some staff who have worked there for decades, were given redundancy notice, The Guardian reported.

Among those who received notice were the private secretaries, the communications team, household staff and the finance office from Clarence House, according to the outlet.

They were reportedly alerted of potential termination during the thanksgiving service for Queen Elizabeth at St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Clarence House staffers were informed that they could possibly lose their jobs through a letter from the new monarch's top aide, Sir Clive Alderton.

"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," Alderton wrote in the letter, which was seen by The Guardian.

"I appreciate that this is unsettling news and I wanted to let you know of the support that is available at this point," the King's private secretary added.

Alderton's letter also indicated that staff providing "direct, close, personal support and advice" to King Charles and the Queen Consort, 75, would remain in their roles.

Those who are being laid off are expected to be given an increased redundancy payment as well as assistance in finding new jobs. They are expected to be offered searches for alternative employment across all royal households, the report said.

Many Clarence House employees are reportedly "livid" as they thought they would be joining King Charles' new household and were given no indication of termination before receiving Alderton's letter.

"Everybody is absolutely livid, including private secretaries and the senior team. All the staff have been working late every night since Thursday, to be met with this. People were visibly shaken by it," an unnamed source told The Guardian.

According to the outlet, no official decisions have been made as a consultation period needs to be completed first. It will begin after the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II Monday.

"Following last week's accession, the operations of the household of the former Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have ceased and, as required by law, a consultation process has begun. Our staff have given long and loyal service and, while some redundancies will be unavoidable, we are working urgently to identify alternative roles for the greatest number of staff," a Clarence House spokesman told The Guardian.

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), a civil service trade union in the U.K., criticized the decision to notify employees of possible termination during this period of mourning, calling it "heartless."

"While some changes across the households were to be expected, as roles across the royal family change, the scale and speed at which this has been announced is callous in the extreme. Least of all because we do not know what staffing the incoming Prince of Wales and his family might need," Mark Serwotka, the general secretary of the PCS, told The Guardian.

He added that the union, which represents some of palace staff, was working to ensure staffers have "full job security" and that it continued to support other royal staff concerned that their "futures are thrown into turmoil by this announcement at this already difficult time."