Who is Rebecca Deacon? Kate Middleton's 'right-hand woman'

Rebecca Deacon, Kate Middleton's "right-hand woman" and "girl Friday", has handed in her notice after five years as the Duchess of Cambridge's private secretary.

Kensington Palace confirmed the 34-year-old will leave her post this summer.

Who is Rebecca Deacon?

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Deacon, the youngest of three sisters, was brought up by her mother after her army major father died when she was three years old.

Privately educated at the Royal School in Bath, she went on to study English at Newcastle University before landing a job at Sentebale, Prince Harry's HIV charity.

She was appointed as the Duchess of Cambridge's private secretary in 2012, after working with the royal family for five years.

What did she do as Kate's private secretary?

Soon after her appointment, the Daily Mirror wrote that Deacon had "quietly become one of the most important people in Kate's life".

While her official role is to assist the Duchess with her public appearances, making sure engagements run smoothly and that she has everything she needs to hand, Deacon is also reported to have become a trusted personal friend.

A source told the Mirror: "Becca is more than a secretary – Kate increasingly relies on her and trusts her advice.

"She is a perfect companion because she is similar in age to Kate, is very organised and has lovely manners."

However, the insider added that their relationship is "entirely professional" and the two women would not be pictured having "girlie nights in with a bottle of wine and a chick flick".

What will she do next?

Kensington Palace said the royal couple were "incredibly grateful" for Deacon's hard work on behalf of the family and that they "wish her well in the next phase of her career". What exactly this will be remains to be seen, as no public details of her career plans have been released.

However, the most immediate item on Deacon's agenda is her wedding later this month. She and fiance Adam Priestley are thought to have been granted permission to tie the knot at the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace, a privilege only accorded to the royal family and their closest friends, Hello! magazine reports.