Kate Middleton’s private secretary Rebecca Deacon, who has been her right-hand woman since 2012, is stepping down from her post, meaning that the Duchess will soon be on the lookout for a new candidate to fill this important post. Where do we sign up?
Deacon was appointed to work with the Duchess after her marriage to Prince William; before that, the 34-year-old worked for Prince Harry’s charity Sentebale, which supports children affected by HIV and AIDS.
It’s thought that she will marry her fiancé Adam Priestly next month in the Chapel Royal at St James’ Palace, in the same chapel where Prince George was christened (a very special venue that can only be used by those with a direct link to the royals). And yes, Kate and William are likely to be on the guest list.
‘After a decade of service to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, Rebecca Deacon will be stepping down as Private Secretary to the Duchess of Cambridge,’ a statement from Kensington Palace confirmed.
‘She plans to leave the household in the summer. Their Royal Highnesses are incredibly grateful for all the hard work and support Rebecca has provided over the past ten years, and wish her well in the next phase of her career.’
So, what’s in the job description of Kate Middleton’s future private secretary? They’ll be expected to organise the Duchess’ schedule and public engagements, and will need to brief her beforehand (in a presumably less frosty take on that Devil Wears Prada scene) on the people she’ll meet. Deacon was also regularly pictured walking behind the Duchess at high-profile events, carrying everything from a handy umbrella to countless floral bouquets to a cuddly kangaroo toy for Prince George.
Sadly, it’s unlikely that the palace will open up applications to the general public; instead, it’s far more probable that the Duchess will select someone from her inner circle, with a history of working closely with the royals. Royal Central predicts that the most likely candidate is Sophie Agnew, who currently assists the private secretary and has accompanied the Duchess to a handful of events in Deacon's absence.
Saying that, there’s surely no harm in sprucing up that CV and making our LinkedIn profiles look a little more regal…
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