Low fellow placing a bigwig before royalty (5)

I believe the answer is:

viper

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'low fellow placing a' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'bigwig before royalty' is the wordplay.
'bigwig' becomes 'VIP' (I've seen this in another clue).
'before' says to put letters next to each other.
'royalty' becomes 'ER' (abbreviation for Elizabeth Regina).
'vip'+'er'='VIPER'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for viper that I've seen before include "poisonous type" , "crawler" , "A poisonous snake or treacherous person" , "Malicious person" , "Adder" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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