The blonde helping Wills move back with dad, at the age of 26

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It's a hard life being a king in waiting. 

After two years as an Army officer, Prince William will soon have to move back in with Charles and Camilla at Clarence House as he adjusts to full-time royal duties.

And to make matters worse, he will have to put up with an attractive blonde organising his diary.

Thea Garwood, 29, will be a key member of 26-year-old William's own office staff, arranging his engagements as he travels the country.

Formerly Prince Charles's events manager, she was such a trusted member of the team that she would regularly dine with both her boss and Princes William and Harry.

She gave up her post a couple of years ago to move to the Middle East with her boyfriend Gary Robinson, Charles's former personal chef, who was setting up his own restaurant in Dubai.

There, she worked for the upmarket concierge firm Quintessentially, founded by Camilla's nephew Ben Elliot.

The couple have since returned to the UK and she was offered a post in William's new office.

'She is formidably organised, looks good, fits in well and, more importantly, William likes and trusts her,' said a source.

Thea, who was born in Plymouth and studied French at Birmingham University, can often be seen at William's side on public engagements introducing him to the right people.

The prince's decision to move back into Clarence House will encourage speculation that he is keen to put off an engagement to his girlfriend Kate Middleton for another 12 months or so.

The move is, however, part of a series of seismic changes in the Wales household coinciding with William's decision to leave the military and become a full-time working royal at the beginning of next year.

These include getting his own office in St James's Palace as part of a £1million refurbishment. The changes are having to be funded by Prince Charles out of his income from the Duchy of Cornwall.

But aides insist he is 'fully supportive' of his son's decision to build his own team of courtiers and was instrumental in helping William to hire one of his key aides.

Geoffrey Matthews has worked for several of Charles's charities in the past and is in charge of 'special projects and charities'.

Mr Matthews and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, the prince's trusted private secretary - are soon to be joined by Miguel Head from the Ministry of Defence as his first dedicated press officer.

Team William will be based in a newly refurbished office separate from his father's at St James's Palace.

The prince will resume life in the apartment he shares with Harry on the third floor of Clarence House  -  above that of their father and stepmother  -  when he returns from his latest Caribbean holiday with Miss Middleton.

'Admittedly it's not ideal for a man of 26 but it is out of the question for him to buy a little pad anywhere, particularly for security reasons, and all the other palaces are full,' said a source.'

 

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