King Charles III Faces Gardening Staff Exodus at Highgrove House Estate

King Charles III is reportedly facing a thorny situation at his beloved Highgrove House estate, where a mass exodus of gardening staff has left the royal grounds in a bit of a tangle. Since 2022, a staggering 11 out of 12 gardeners have bid farewell to their roles, citing overwhelming demands and insufficient resources as key reasons for their departure.

According to reports, the gardeners have struggled to keep up with the King’s meticulous vision for the estate, with some even developing physical injuries from the relentless workload. Low morale has taken root among the team, with one staffer’s formal complaint highlighting the constant pressure to meet royal expectations. In a particularly prickly anecdote, the King is said to have dismissed a gardener’s lack of floral knowledge with a curt, “Don’t put that man in front of me again.”

Despite the upheaval, the King’s Foundation insists that staff welfare remains a top priority. A spokesperson emphasized that turnover rates are well below the national average and noted significant progress at Highgrove, including doubled operating profits since 2022, a new education facility, and over 40,000 annual visitors. Pay raises for staff, ranging between 15% and 19% since 2022, have also been implemented in line with industry standards.

Highgrove House, a cherished residence for King Charles since 1980, holds deep personal significance as the place where he raised Princes William and Harry with the late Princess Diana. Today, he shares the estate with Queen Camilla, though it seems the gardens themselves are proving harder to cultivate than royal harmony.