Queen left in 'royal shambles' after wave of senior aide resignations amid internal power struggle

Buckingham Palace is in turmoil following a wave of resignations from senior royal aides, creating a state of uncertainty at the heart of the British royal family.

Multiple departures at the Palace have reportedly come after the Queen ordered a shake-up.

According to Daily Express, palace sources claim that the shock resignation of the Queen's right-hand man Sir Christopher Geidt has left the Palace in a state of disarray – with one courtier describing it as "a right royal shambles". Geidt, 55, had been the private secretary to Queen Elizabeth II since September 2007.

A royal insider commented: "Don't forget that the Queen is still the boss and will always take her own decisions, no matter what the advice."

And the Queen's losses don't stop there, as it has been reported that her Assistant Private Secretary Samantha Cohen has also thrown the towel in.

Prince Harry's Private Secretary Edward Lane Fox is apparently preparing to resign along with rumours that Prince William's well-regarded Private Secretary Miguel Head is expected to leave by Christmas.

News of the resignations come as the Duchess of Cambridge appoints a new Private Secretary following the resignation of newly-married Rebecca Deacon along with the Keeper of the Privy Purse, Sir Alan Reid.

Catherine Quinn is set to join Kensington Palace as Kate Middleton's right-hand woman in October, with a statement explaining: "Catherine is a member of the Boards of the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Met Office, and the Royal British Legion.

"She has an MBA from Oxford University's Saïd Business School and degrees from US and UK universities."

Quinn's new role comes at the time when William and Kate move from Norfolk to London to take on more royal duties, since Prince Philip has retired in his 96<sup>th year and the Queen is slowing down.

The loss of the senior posts in the Queen's private office – who help Her Majesty do her job as Head of State – are said to be down to bickering over the roles and reach of senior staff, and have undoubtedly rattled the Palace.

The disputes include the approach taken by senior Royals in their official duties and how their publicity is handled.

The shake-up is also a reflection of the increasing rivalry between the separate households, with Kensington Palace run by the younger Royals – the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry – and Clarence House dealing with Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.

An insider reportedly described the relationship between the two as "chaotic" due to a lack of communication and coordination between diaries and public statements – including Prince Harry's attack on the media over coverage of his girlfriend Meghan Markle. Buckingham Palace are also understood to not have felt fully informed over William and Harry's ITV documentary about their mother Diana.

Royal expert Phil Dampier also shed light on the differences within 'the firm', telling IBTimes UK: "There has been a power struggle going on for some time between different factions.

"I can only assume that some people are worn out by it. Also, no-one tends to stay for decades with the royals as the pay is not as good as in the business sector. There is also the feeling of the end of an era as the Queen and Prince Philip wind down."

While Kensington Palace appears to be moving with the times and seeing the younger royals express their opinions and emotions on television documentaries as well as speaking directly to the press, there is still a lot of mystery and heightened privacy surrounding the senior royal members.

The princes' candid interviews over Diana, mental health and personal topics have lead the Queen to become irritated at the management of the junior household. She feels that her grandsons William and Harry have been poorly advised and exposed themselves to criticism.