Tightening one’s belt? Prince William hires David Cameron’s former ‘Treasury cost-cutter’ who would ‘kneecap anyone who wanted to spend money’ as his new private secretary
- William has hired David Cameron’s ex spokesperson as his new private secretary
- Kensington Palace confirmed Jean-Christophe Gray started in new role last week
- Mr Gray previously worked in the Treasury and is described as ‘a Whitehall velociraptor intent on knee-capping anyone who wants to spend money’
The Duke of Cambridge has hired David Cameron’s former spokesman as his new private secretary, Kensington Palace has confirmed.
Jean-Christophe Gray started in his new role last week, having previously worked in the Government’s Treasury department, working alongside Mr Cameron and George Osborne during the austerity years.
Gray has a reputation as Whitehall’s ‘most assiduous bean counter’, The Sunday Times reports. In 2012, Gray left a position as head of general expenditure policy with the Treasury to join the communications team at Downing Street, becoming then-prime minister Mr Cameron’s official spokesman.
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Jean-Christophe Gray, who previously worked in the Government’s Treasury department alongside Mr Cameron and George Osborne during the austerity years, started his new role last week, Kensington Palace have confirmed
The Duke of Cambridge, 38, has hired David Cameron’s former spokesman Jean-Chrstophe Gray as his private secretary, who former colleagues describe as ‘mild-mannered’
A Whitehall source told the publication: ‘Because he was so mild-mannered, no-one ever really noticed he was a Whitehall velociraptor intent on knee-capping anyone who wants to spend money.’
The role taken by Gray was previously filled by Christian Jones, the most senior aide to the Duke of Cambridge. Prior to Jones, Simon Case held the role, but was reportedly poached by Boris Johnson for a government job.
Case was confirmed as the youngest head of the civil service in living memory when he left Kensington Palace in September last year. Case spent almost two years working as Prince William’s right-hand man before temporarily moving to Downing Street earlier this year to assist with the coronavirus response.
It’s believed Christian Jones has left the palace for a new position with Bridgepoint, a private equity group.
Earlier this week, Prince William held a Zoom call to thank members of the military for their Covid vaccine efforts in footage released by Kensington Palace
In 2012, Mr Gray left a position as head of general expenditure policy with the Treasury to join the communications team at Downing Street, becoming then-prime minister Mr Cameron’s (pictured) official spokesman
It was reported this week that Prince William feels the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were ‘insulting and disrespectful’ towards the Queen in their exit from royal life.
William was ‘really sad and genuinely shocked’ by Harry’s behaviour towards their grandmother in relation to the departure, The Sunday Times reported sources as saying.
In a statement on Friday, Buckingham Palace said the Queen had written to Harry and Meghan ‘confirming that in stepping away from the work of the royal family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service’.
In response, a spokesperson for the Sussexes said: ‘We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.’
Kensington Palace made no comment on the newspaper’s report.
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