Prince Harry is unlikely to be any closer to repairing his relationship with King Charles III despite the upcoming departure of one of the monarch’s most trusted advisers, according to royal commentator Kinsey Schofield.

The comments came after Buckingham Palace confirmed that Sir Clive Alderton, the principal private secretary to King Charles and Queen Camilla, will step down from his role in May 2027 after years of service.

While some royal watchers have suggested the change could improve Harry’s chances of reconciliation with his father, Schofield believes the situation is far more complicated.

“Harry may welcome Sir Clive’s retirement personally, especially after portraying him so negatively in Spare,” Schofield told.

“But if Harry believes one retirement suddenly clears the path back into the Royal Family, I think he’ll be disappointed. The trust deficit is far bigger than any one adviser.”

Schofield argued that too much attention has been placed on palace staff rather than on the deeper issues that divided Harry and the Royal Family.

“Reconciliation has always depended less on who advises the King and more on whether Harry can convince his family that history won’t repeat itself,” she said.

Her comments came in response to claims by another royal expert, Tom Sykes, who suggested Alderton’s departure could be viewed as “a good day for Harry.”

Schofield disagreed, saying the problems between father and son go well beyond a single courtier.

“I think it’s premature to call this a win for Prince Harry,” she said. “Sir Clive Alderton has been one of King Charles’ most trusted advisers, but Palace policy isn’t built around one individual.”

“The issues that fractured the relationship, trust, confidentiality, and Harry’s repeated public criticism of the institution, don’t disappear because one courtier is retiring.”

According to Schofield, rebuilding trust remains the biggest challenge.

“It begins with rebuilding credibility. That’s something only Harry can do, and it takes time, consistency, and discretion,” she explained, adding that Charles receives advice from multiple senior aides, not just Alderton.

She also stressed that Charles has always had the authority to welcome his younger son back into royal life if he chose to do so.

“The obstacle has never simply been Sir Clive Alderton. The much bigger issue is whether the Royal Family believes they can have private conversations with Harry without seeing them become public,” Schofield said.

“People often overestimate the power of palace aides. Senior courtiers advise the sovereign, they don’t overrule him. If Charles truly wanted Harry back in an official capacity, that decision has always belonged to the King.”

Harry’s relationship with Alderton was notably strained, with the Duke of Sussex appearing to refer to the royal aide as “the Wasp” in his 2023 memoir, Spare. In the book, Harry described him as outwardly polite but capable of delivering sharp and unexpected criticism behind the scenes.

The rift between Harry and the Royal Family began after he and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior working royals in 2020 and relocated to California. The couple later discussed private family matters in several interviews, while Harry also detailed his experiences in Spare.

Relations appeared to improve slightly after King Charles announced his cancer diagnosis in 2024. Earlier this month, Harry and Meghan reunited with Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House, marking their first family gathering together in four years. The couple’s children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, also attended the visit.

Although reports suggested the reunion was cordial rather than emotional, sources say Harry is expected to return to the UK in September and may be offered accommodation at Buckingham Palace, a sign that communication between father and son continues.

However, Harry’s relationship with his older brother, Prince William, reportedly remains distant, with no indication that the brothers have resolved their long running differences.