King Charles & the Highgrove Garden: time to unionise
Highgrove is King Charles Gloucestershire residence, well known for its organic gardens and the base of the Duchy Originals brand.
For reasons as yet unclear the Sunday Times (20th July 2025) devoted the best part of two broadsheet pages to issues at Highgrove, primarily about the gardeners are treated and paid, and King Charlie’s own idiosyncratic behaviour (hardly a secret)
When Charles ascended to the throne, or was possibly directed there by God, Highgrove should have passed to William. Instead he drew up an arrangement that allows him stay there until age 92 at a cost of £340,000 a year. The gardens are handled under a related arrangement.
The agreement gives Charles the exclusive use of Highgrove’s swimming pool and the right to hunt hares, rabbits etc on the land.
Despite this low pay is a significant issue at Highgrove with gardeners paid at or around the minimum wage, less than they could earn in similar roles elsewhere. The work is demanding, not least because without pesticides it is difficult to protect plants fully.
The Sunday Times reports that Charles is a micro-manager, issuing detailed instructions on individual plants and flowers and on one occasion had, in effect, had a gardener sacked because they got the name of a flower wrong.
After a grievance based on bullying against the de facto manager of Highgrove, an external HR consultancy investigated (no union recognition) but the report notes that Highgrove is significantly understaffed giving the demanding nature of the work (Charles has called for volunteers) and staff turnover is very significant.. A rural idyll Highgrove may be for the King but not for anyone else. What Murdoch’s issue with the King is remains unclear.
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