The Queen's two senior PR chiefs to leave after Thomas Markle debacle

Two of the Queen's most senior aides are to leave their jobs in the coming months, it emerged today.

Sally Osman, the Director of Royal Communications, and Steve Kingstone, the Queen's Media Secretary, are leaving Buckingham Palace.

Osman, a former director of communications for the BBC, rose to her role after taking charge of PR for the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in 2013.

Kingstone, a former BBC journalist, became the Queen's Media Secretary in 2016. He will become Director of Communications at Oxfam.

It is understood that Osman won't be replaced and a new position, Communications Secretary for the Queen, will include both roles.

The departures come after a busy year for the Royal Family's press team, following the challenges surrounding Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle.

Amid global interest in the wedding, the royals were criticised for failing to properly support Meghan's father, Thomas, who did a deal with paparazzi to take photos of him getting ready for the ceremony.

After his deal was exposed, he pulled out of giving Meghan away shortly before the big day, meaning Prince Charles had to step in.

Meghan's half-brother and half-sister, Tom and Samantha, also made repeated criticisms of their treatment after they were not invited to the wedding.

Despite the difficulties, there is no suggestion the Markle scandals led to the latest changes in the palace communications team.

News of the aides departures emerged on a busy day for the royals, who today led national celebrations as the Royal Air Force marked a century since its formation.

The Queen, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended a service at Westminster Abbey this morning.

The royals then appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to view a flypast of up to 100 RAF aircraft and a parade of more than 1000 personnel.