Prince William’s private secretary will quit amid William’s big CEO hunt

Well well. Several weeks ago, Kensington Palace staffers “excitedly” briefed Richard Eden at the Daily Mail about Prince William’s “revolutionary” plan to hire a CEO. William must have written the job description himself, and he’s seeking someone who is “emotionally intelligent, with ‘low ego’, and strong self-awareness and understanding of their impact on others. Anyone wanting the job must be ‘able to operate as a ‘servant’ leader, empowering the senior team.” The idea behind the move was that William wants to be just like his brother and operate like an American. William’s abject laziness is behind this too – normally, the principal royals are the “chief executives” of their households/offices, with their private secretaries acting as de facto chiefs-of-staff. William’s big idea was to have a CEO report directly to him.

So, this news comes as no surprise. From Roya Nikkhah at the Times: “William’s private secretary quits.” Hilariously, the Times didn’t even put this article online, it was only published in the print edition, that’s how much Kensington Palace wants it buried. Roya posted a screenshot on her Twitter with the news about Jean-Christophe Gray quitting, plus she added that a new COO has been hired: Sean Carney, who used to work at Telemos Capital.

The Prince of Wales and his private secretary are to part company as Prince William restructures his household with a new chief executive. Jean-Christophe Gray, a leading civil servant who previously worked as David Cameron’s spokesman, joined Kensington Palace in February 2021 to lead the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s team.

Known as “JC,” he is widely respected in royal circles and as William’s closest aide had been integral in his transition to Prince of Wales, advising on his key “legacy” projects, including the Earthshot environmental prize and his Homewards initiative to end homelessness.

Gray, 47, is on secondment from Whitehall and will leave the palace in the spring. Royal sources said it had always been his intention to return to government, but last month it emerged that William and Kate, both 41, were recruiting a chief executive to lead their household who will report directly to them, rather than their private secretaries.

Previously, William’s private secretary was the most senior member of the team. A source said: “Having a CEO placed above you isn’t an optimal job scenario if you are JC and your title is no longer head of the household.”

Kensington Palace said: “We do not comment on staffing matters.”

[From The Times, print edition]

Oh, suddenly “We do not comment on staffing matters” huh. In September, William couldn’t brief the media fast enough about his staffing matters when it came to his big, keen plans to hire a Top CEO! They talk about staffing matters all the time when it suits them, especially when we have to hear endlessly about how the Duchess of Sussex “bullied” staffers by existing as a Black woman. Anyway, more staffing issues at Kensington Palace. William and Kate can’t keep staff – all of their senior staff leave in droves as soon as they realize that Will and Kate are deeply weird, lazy and unserious people. Notably – and I can’t believe this isn’t a bigger conversation – Kate has been without a private secretary for more than a year. And now William’s losing his private secretary too, all because he’s desperate to copy Harry. I wonder what “JC” thought about all the big New York flop trip, or the Boston flop trip, or the Caribbean flop trip. I wonder what JC thinks about William’s violence and William’s obsession with all things Harry and all things America.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

The Prince of Wales meeting refugee Mehrshad Esfandiari from Iran and Aiden Bryne manager of Hosford services (left) during a visit to the East Belfast Mission at the Skainos Centre, Belfast, as part of his tour of the UK to launch a project aimed at ending homelessness. Picture date: Tuesday June 27, 2023. . William has set his sights on making rough sleeping, sofa surfing and other forms of temporary accommodation a thing of the past with his initiative called Homewards. The five-year project will initially focus on six locations, to be announced during Monday and Tuesday, where local businesses, organisations and individuals will be encouraged to join forces and develop “bespoke” action plans to tackle homelessness with up to Ł500,000 in funding. Homeless. NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS,Image: 785623491, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon

Aberdeen, UK, 27 June 2023: The Prince of Wales during a visit to Tillydrone Community Campus, Aberdeen, to spotlight how co-located and joined up community support services can improve early intervention and prevent homelessness, as part of his tour of the UK to launch a project aimed at ending homelessness. Prince of Wales has set his sights on making rough sleeping, sofa surfing and other forms of temporary accommodation a thing of the past with his initiative called Homewards. The five-year project will initially focus on six locations, to be announced during Monday and Tuesday, where local businesses, organisations and individuals will be encouraged to join forces and develop “bespoke” action plans to tackle homelessness with up to Ł500,000 in funding. *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS ***,Image: 785635040, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Euan Duff / Avalon

The Prince of Wales speaks with members during a visit to Mosaic Clubhouse in Lambeth, London, which supports people living with mental health conditions across Lambeth, as part of his tour of the UK to launch a project aimed at ending homelessness. Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: London, United Kingdom When: 26 Jun 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**

The Prince of Wales during a visit to Faithworks Carpentry Workshop in Bournemouth, Dorset, as part of his tour of the UK to launch a project aimed at ending homelessness. Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: Bournemouth, United Kingdom When: 26 Jun 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**

The Prince of Wales during a visit to Faithworks Carpentry Workshop in Bournemouth, Dorset, as part of his tour of the UK to launch a project aimed at ending homelessness. Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: Bournemouth, United Kingdom When: 26 Jun 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**

The Prince of Wales with Grainia Long, Chief Executive at Northern Ireland Housing Executive, during a visit to the East Belfast Mission at the Skainos Centre, Belfast, as part of his tour of the UK to launch a project aimed at ending homelessness. Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: Belfast, United Kingdom When: 27 Jun 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**

The Prince of Wales during a visit to Tillydrone Community Campus, Aberdeen, to spotlight how co-located and joined up community support services can improve early intervention and prevent homelessness, as part of his tour of the UK to launch a project aimed at ending homelessness. Picture date: Tuesday June 27, 2023. Featuring: William, Prince of Wales Where: Aberdeen, United Kingdom When: 27 Jun 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**

The Prince of Wales during a visit to a Pret A Manger store in Bournemouth, Dorset, to meet with national and local businesses pledging their support to the Prince’s Homewards project in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Featuring: Prince William Where: Bournemouth, United Kingdom When: 07 Sep 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**