Sir William Heseltine, Queen Elizabeth II's private secretary 1986-1990, dies aged 96

Sir William Frederick Payne Heseltine died on 2 October 2026 aged 96, The Guardian reported. Private secretary — the monarch's senior aide on papers and programme — to Queen Elizabeth II from 1986 to 1990, he spent 27 years at Buckingham Palace. Born in Fremantle, he was the first Australian to enter the royal household.