Who is Ian Patrick? All about Prince William's new private secretary as he returns to royal duties

Prince William has recently returned to work and Ian Patrick has joined him as the secretary. The news was confirmed on February 9, 2024, by the Kensington Palace. According to GB News, Ian Patrick has previously served as a geopolitical consultant for the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office.

William has been on a break for some time after Kate Middleton had to undergo an abdominal surgery last month. The palace later revealed that the surgery was successful and the Princess of Wales was supposed to be discharged in around 10 to 14 days, as per Sky News.

Prince William's break from work was further extended after his father King Charles contracted cancer and was getting treatment for an enlarged prostate. The kind of cancer was not revealed and a palace spokesperson shared a statement that read:

"No further details are being shared at this stage, but His Majesty is receiving expert care and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible."

Before resuming his duties, the Prince of Wales attended the investiture ceremony held at the Windsor Castle, as per the Evening Standard. Footballer Ellen White, along with the chairman of the British Amateur Rugby League Association, Susan Taylor, and many others were honoured at the event.

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Ian Patrick has served in various other high-profile places in the past

The Independent reported that Ian Patrick was previously employed under former Liberal Democrat leader, Lord Ashdown, and he also served as an executor at his estate. He has also served for Sir John Sawers GCMG and High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ian Patrick also gained recognition as a trustee for the charity, Crohn's and Colitis UK. The official website of the charity states that he joined them in October 2022 and shared a statement at the time, saying that he was happy to join a team that would help people battling various illnesses. He continued:

"I was first diagnosed with Crohn's Disease at 17, and have lived with the challenges ever since."

Ian revealed in the statement that he was a partner at a company called Macro Advisory Partners and a British diplomat for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. He further stated:

"I was based in Sarajevo working at the UN peace keeping mission for four years. I began my professional life working in Parliament as an advisor to the Leader of the Liberal Democrats (Paddy Ashdown)."

He mentioned that he has traveled extensively, including to places that have been badly affected due to various ongoing conflicts.

As of this writing, detailed information about Ian Patrick's early life and personal life remains unknown.

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Prince William continues his royal duties after a break

According to Sentinel Colorado, Prince William resumed his duties on February 7, 2024. As mentioned earlier, he attended the investiture ceremony before coming back to work and was spotted with Tom Cruise at one point. He spoke to the audience at the event and said:

"I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days. It means a great deal to us all."

Meanwhile, King Charles made his first public appearance in a while on February 6 and was seen coming out of the Clarence House where he met Prince Harry.