King Charles III has been forced to respond after 11 gardeners from his beloved Highgrove Estate quit, claiming poor work conditions.
The Sunday Times released a damning report on July 20, which claims frustrated staff were left feeling “overwhelmed and underpaid”.
It’s well-known that the gardens are one of His Majesty’s favourite places.
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But the report reveals the King’s keen eye for details and high standards have seen him leaving memos for staff and notes giving feedback about plants or horticultural matters.
Some workers are said to have found this behaviour overwhelming.
While the King still occupies the main Highgrove House, in Gloucestershire, he handed over management and ownership of the gardens — which are open to the public — to the King’s Foundation charity in 2001.
According to the report, the foundation has seen staff turnover resulting in 11 out of 12 gardeners, including two head gardeners, exiting the position since 2022.
Independent HR consultancy WorkNest had found evidence of “staff shortages” and “poor” management practices, confirming that pay was “an issue for recruitment and retention”.
One member of staff is reported to have filed a grievance against management, saying they were “under-resourced and constantly struggling to fulfil the King’s request”.
The complaint said staff “developed physical injuries trying to keep up and that the team suffered from low morale”.
One gardener reportedly failed his probation after “revealing a lack of knowledge about a particular flower”.
The Sunday Times reported that Charles responded by saying: “Don’t put that man in front of me again”.
The staff exodus has been so great the gardens are now largely reliant on staff from Charles’ other estates.
An investigation has since been launched by the King’s Foundation into the ongoing complaints.
“At The King’s Foundation, we take staff welfare extremely seriously and strive to be an exemplary employer,” a King’s Foundation spokesperson told People.
“We are proud to regularly report very high satisfaction rates in our annual staff survey.”
According to The Sun, the nine-bedroom residence is the safe haven the King uses to escape the pressure of public life.
It was where Charles retreated to privately mourn his mother, Queen Elizabeth, following her death in 2022.
“Despite having access to several large homes, since the Queen died, King Charles still loves retreating to Highgrove, which he bought in 1980,” royal author, Phil Dampier, said.
“It is a place where he feels most relaxed and at home.”
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