The UK Guardian recently reported that about 100 employees of King Charles III’s former residence received notification that they could lose their jobs following the King’s enthronement as Britain’s monarch. The affected staff work at Clarence House, a royal residence in the city of Westminster, London.
What they are saying
The general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), Mark Serwotka, in a response to the news stated that the announcement is “nothing short of heartless.” According to him, the staff at Clarence House expected a change in royal duties, seeing King Charles III would move to a new residence in Buckingham palace following his enthronement.
He then added that “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.”
- Other concerned citizens outside Buckingham Palace expressed shock at the Guardian’s revelations about the handling of staff at Clarence House.
Why it matters
King Charles III has had a controversial past which makes him one of the least loved and unpopular members of the Royal family. A 2016 poll showed that a significant number of people would prefer the King to abdicate the throne to his eldest son, Prince William. If the sack of the King’s former employees falls through, the new monarch could continue to fall out of favour with the public.
What you should know
Clarence House, located next to St James’s Palace in central London, is the official London residence of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. While King Charles III and Queen Camilla would move to Buckingham Palace following their enthronement, Prince William and Princess Kate would move to Clarence House following their new titles.