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| Duchess of Cambridge's right-hand woman stands down | Duchess of Cambridge's right-hand woman stands down |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Duchess of Cambridge's right-hand woman is leaving her post after 10 years' service to the Royal Family, Kensington Palace has said. | The Duchess of Cambridge's right-hand woman is leaving her post after 10 years' service to the Royal Family, Kensington Palace has said. |
| Rebecca Deacon became private secretary to the duchess shortly after the Cambridges married in 2011. | Rebecca Deacon became private secretary to the duchess shortly after the Cambridges married in 2011. |
| Miss Deacon previously worked for Prince Harry's charity Sentebale. | Miss Deacon previously worked for Prince Harry's charity Sentebale. |
| A palace spokeswoman said: "Their Royal Highnesses are incredibly grateful for all the hard work and support Rebecca has provided over the past 10 years." | A palace spokeswoman said: "Their Royal Highnesses are incredibly grateful for all the hard work and support Rebecca has provided over the past 10 years." |
| She said Miss Deacon planned to leave the duke and duchess's household this summer, adding that they "wish her well in the next phase of her career". | She said Miss Deacon planned to leave the duke and duchess's household this summer, adding that they "wish her well in the next phase of her career". |
| The news follows reports of Miss Deacon's engagement - she is due to marry later this month. | The news follows reports of Miss Deacon's engagement - she is due to marry later this month. |
| Often pictured standing behind the duchess during public engagements, Miss Deacon played an important role during the royal wedding. | Often pictured standing behind the duchess during public engagements, Miss Deacon played an important role during the royal wedding. |
| A private secretary's duties include organising official programmes and engagements and ensuring the duchess is briefed on whom she is going to meet. | |
| Kensington Palace declined to comment on the matter of Miss Deacon's replacement. | Kensington Palace declined to comment on the matter of Miss Deacon's replacement. |
| Could you be what the Duchess is looking for? | |
| Analysis by Peter Hunt, royal correspondent | |
| Conversations with headhunters will take place soon. | |
| However, anyone who lets slip they might be in the running for the post will not end up sitting behind an antique desk at Kensington Palace. | |
| The successful candidate will be discreet, self-effacing and efficient. A sense of humour and a sense of the absurd will be very necessary personal qualities. | |
| An ability to collect flowers from members of the public and to provide fashion advice won't be written into the job description. | |
| In public, they'll be a hovering presence and they'll call the duchess Your Royal Highness and Ma'am (to rhyme with jam); whether they call her Catherine in private depends on how well their relationship develops. | |
| The new private secretary will be appointed at a critical time. With the Queen a month away from her 91st birthday, the Cambridges will take on more royal duties. | |
| In the coming years the duchess' diet of engagements will grow and will be managed by her newest member of staff. | |
| This senior royal official will be an adviser, a confidante and, at the end of the day, a servant. | |
| They'll have a privileged position inside the House of Windsor bubble and, if they're wise, they won't overstay their welcome. | |
| When they do leave, like Rebecca Deacon before them, they'll know they'll have played a part in shaping, as things stand, the life of a future Queen Consort. | |
| Read more from Peter here. |