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King Charles III has a great passion for nature and gardening.
IMAGO/Spotlight Royal
King Charles III is heavily involved in the garden at Highgrove. Former employees report excessive expectations, poor working conditions and low pay.
King Charles III is known for his passion for nature and the kingdom's gardens. But there are problems on his beloved Highgrove Estate: the king is said to be more involved in the day-to-day gardening work than you would expect from a monarch. This is reported in the Sunday Times.
King Charles pays attention to every detail, such as the size of the peaches and the color of the rose petals, and regularly sends the gardeners handwritten notes with requests for changes. However, according to the British Sunday newspaper, former employees say that much of this is simply not feasible due to a lack of resources and that the King's demands are "impossible" to meet.
They are understaffed and underpaid, with employees earning just under the legal minimum wage. One gardener was dismissed during his probationary period because he was unable to answer a question about a type of flower. "Don't put this man in front of me again," King Charles is said to have said about him.
Eleven out of twelve gardeners have resigned since 2022. They describe the working conditions in the Sunday Times as "toxic".
Following an internal complaint, the King's Foundation, which manages the gardens at Highgrove, commissioned an external HR company to carry out an investigation. This is said to have confirmed serious grievances such as staff shortages, poor management and unfair HR practices and recommended, among other things, mental health services and a review of wages. However, nothing has changed.
According to the newspaper, the king is aware of the problems. After Russia's attack on Ukraine, for example, he suggested hiring refugees as temporary staff.
The palace has not officially commented on the allegations.
