Gardeners quitting King Charles' Highgrove amid demands
Chalres oversees the gardens at his Gloucestershire retreat, which he has transformed and nurtured over the past 45 years, and, according to The Sunday Times, has lost 11 of 12 gardeners since 2022.
Advertisement
The newspaper reported that Charles visits the gardens regularly and, after walking the series of interlinked gardens, sends notes to garden staff who are expected to act on his requests before his next visit.
King Charles with the prime minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape at Highgrove House earlier this month (Ben Birchall/PA)
According to the report, Charles asked that staff move a single ragwort from the perimeter of his swimming pool, and said gardeners' failure to cultivate his delphiniums had caused him great disappointment.
The newspaper said staff have complained of poor conditions, including pay as low as minimum wage.
It has been reported that Charles knew of staff shortages at Highgrove, and after the invasion of Ukraine wrote a note proposing war refugees could be recruited to help.
Advertisement
Near the Cotswolds town of Tetbury, the nine-bedroom house and estate was set to become William's when Charles acceded to the throne in September 2022 as it is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall.
But Charles now rents the house from the Duchy, for a reported £340,000-a-year, and continues to use it as a country residence, where he spends time with Queen Camilla and he rested there after time in hospital for side effects of his cancer treatment earlier this year.
The Sunday Times reported that of the 11 gardeners who have left, two were heads of gardens and one had served Charles for many years.
Another failed his probation after it emerged he had a lack of knowledge about a particular flower, the newspaper said.
Advertisement
Charles reportedly said of him 'don't put that man in front of me again'.
Charles' charity The King's Foundation, which is the custodian of Highgrove Gardens, runs education workshops on site for traditional and endangered crafts such as millinery, embroidery and woodworking.
It also oversees public access to Highgrove through its ticketed garden tours, which attract more than 40,000 visitors every year.
The Sunday Times reported that in late 2023 one member of staff at Highgrove complained about the gardens' management, saying the team was overwhelmed, under-resourced and struggling to fulfil the Charles' requests.
Advertisement
Charles at Highgrove with Constantine Innemee, David Beckham and Victoria Beckham (Finnbar Webster/PA)
In turn, The King's Foundation commissioned an external investigation and, according to the report, it found evidence of 'staff shortages' and 'poor' management practices and said that remuneration was an 'issue for recruitment and retention'.
It recommended 'management training for all managers', 'mental health support and counselling' and a pay review, The Sunday Times said.
Staff at the gardens have received pay rises each year since 2022 totalling between 15 per cent and 19 per cent cumulatively, it is understood.
The newspaper also reported that in August 2023, a senior gardener complained that he was 'shouted at' by Constantine Innemee, then the Highgrove director for The King's Foundation.
Advertisement
According to The Sunday Times, The King's Foundation requested an investigation and did not uphold the complaint about Mr Innemee.
A King's Foundation spokeswoman said: 'At The King's Foundation, we take staff welfare extremely seriously and strive to be an exemplary employer. We are proud to regularly report very high satisfaction rates in our annual staff survey.
'Our staff turnover is well below the national average, as is the number of formal grievances raised. For the gardening team at Highgrove specifically, we regularly review guidance from the Professional Gardeners Guild for pay benchmarking.
'Highgrove has also seen many positive developments since The King's Foundation became the charitable custodian of the gardens. Since 2022, the operating profit has more than doubled, a new education facility teaching traditional heritage skills to hundreds of students has been established, and visitor numbers continue to reach over 40,000 annually.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
221 MPs call for Britain to recognise Palestinian state amid starvation in Gaza
Some 221 MPs from across different political parties have joined forces to call on the Government to recognise a Palestinian state. The MPs urge the Government to take the step ahead of a United Nations conference in New York next week. This follows France's announcement on Thursday evening it will formally recognise Palestine at a UN summit in September. The MPs' letter, co-ordinated by Sarah Champion – Labour chairwoman of the International Development Select Committee, said: 'We are expectant that the outcome of the conference will be the UK Government outlining when and how it will act on its long-standing commitment on a two-state solution; as well as how it will work with international partners to make this a reality.' Parliamentarians from Labour, the Conservatives, Lib Dems, SNP, Greens, Plaid Cymru, SDLP and independents are among those who signed the letter. Senior signatories include Labour select committee chairs Liam Byrne, Dame Emily Thornberry and Ruth Cadbury, the Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, as well as Tory former minister Kit Malthouse, and Sir Edward Leigh, Parliament's longest-serving MP. The majority of those who have signed, 131, are Labour MPs. Rotherham MP Ms Champion acknowledged 'recognition alone will not end the suffering in Gaza or the rapid expansion of settlements and settler violence in the West Bank'. But she said it would be an important step on the path towards a two-state solution to end the war. The Labour MP added: 'Recognition would send a powerful symbolic message that we support the rights of the Palestinian people, that they are not alone and they need to maintain hope that there is a route that leads to lasting peace and security for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people.' Ministers have faced growing calls to recognise a Palestinian state immediately amid mounting global anger over the starving population in Gaza. Sir Keir Starmer said on Friday evening that such a move needed to be part of the 'pathway' to peace in the Middle East, which he and allies are working towards. 'That pathway will set out the concrete steps needed to turn the ceasefire so desperately needed, into a lasting peace,' the Prime Minister said. He added: 'Recognition of a Palestinian state has to be one of those steps. I am unequivocal about that. But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis. The PM also said: 'The appalling scenes in Gaza are unrelenting. 'The continued captivity of hostages, the starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, the increasing violence from extremist settler groups, and Israel's disproportionate military escalation in Gaza are all indefensible. In a statement released on Friday alongside the leaders of France and Germany, the Prime Minister urged 'all parties to bring an end to the conflict by reaching an immediate ceasefire'. Sir Keir, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also called for Israel to stop restricting the flow of aid into Gaza. Charities operating in Gaza have said Israel's blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing people there towards starvation, warning that they are seeing their own workers and Palestinians 'waste away'. Israel says it allows enough aid into the territory and faults delivery efforts by UN agencies, which say they are hindered by Israeli restrictions and the breakdown of security. As he left for Scotland on Friday, US President Donald Trump suggested that Mr Macron's announcement that France would recognise Palestinian statehood was unimportant. 'What he says doesn't matter', Mr Trump told reporters at the White House. Sir Keir will meet the US president during his five-day private trip to Scotland, due to kick off on Friday. US-led peace talks in Qatar were cut short on Thursday, with Washington's special envoy Steve Witkoff accusing Hamas of a 'lack of desire to reach a ceasefire'. The deal under discussion is expected to include a 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Aid supplies would be ramped up and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting truce. Hamas-led militants based in Gaza abducted 251 people in the October 7 attack in 2023 that triggered the war and killed about 1,200 people. Fewer than half of the 50 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive. Israel's war in Gaza has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It does not distinguish between militants and civilians.
Telegraph
6 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Rayner pushing Starmer to follow Macron and recognise Palestine
Angela Rayner is pressing Sir Keir Starmer to follow Emmanuel Macron and formally recognise a Palestinian state. The Deputy Prime Minister is understood to be '100 per cent' behind other Cabinet ministers pressuring the Prime Minister over the decision. A third of Labour MPs signed a letter on Friday saying it was time for 'immediate recognition'. It comes after Emmanuel Macron, the French president, pledged to recognise Palestine as a state at the next UN General Assembly in September. The Labour Government backs Palestinian statehood but has argued for months that it should be formally recognised at the right moment to further peace in the region. However, there is growing pressure in the party for a change to be made sooner. An ally of Ms Rayner told The Telegraph: 'She absolutely thinks it has to happen, 100 per cent. She realises the massive electoral consequences of it. 'We are in a much, much worse place now. We would lose 20 seats over the issue at the moment, not five.' At the last general election, Labour shed votes on the left to several independent pro-Gaza candidates. It is also likely to face further pressure after Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana launched their new hard-Left party. In a statement issued after a phone call on Friday evening, Mr Macron, the French President, Friedrich Merz, the German Chancellor and Sir Keir said the 'appalling scenes in Gaza are unrelenting' and appeared to criticise Israel over the 'starvation and denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people'. But Sir Keir has so far stopped short of saying when he will recognise a Palestinian state. Ms Rayner is one of several cabinet ministers understood to be increasingly pressing Sir Keir to take the move. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, also wants the Prime Minister to pivot to a policy of immediate recognition, according to the Guardian. His view is shared by Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland Secretary, and Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary. Speaking on Thursday night, Ms Mahood said that while British recognition of Palestine would have 'multiple benefits' and send a 'strong message' to Israel, the immediate priority must be delivering aid to Gaza. Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, also wants to see Palestine recognised straight away, according to Bloomberg. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also repeated his calls on social media on Friday for a Palestinian state to be recognised by the UK. The Government's language towards the Israeli government has hardened considerably in recent weeks amid increasing humanitarian concern. Peter Kyle, the Science Secretary, told Sky News the situation was 'untenable', saying: 'Like any other person, I look at these images and I am deeply, deeply offended by them. 'The people of the region have been let down by successful generations of lots of world leaders but including particularly the leadership in the region itself, who have failed to deliver the kind of leadership that could have solved this problem.' Meanwhile, 221 MPs from across different political parties have urged the Government to recognise a Palestinian state ahead of a United Nations conference in New York next week. The MPs' letter, co-ordinated by Labour's Sarah Champion, chairwoman of the International Development Select Committee, said: 'We are expectant that the outcome of the conference will be the UK Government outlining when and how it will act on its long-standing commitment on a two-state solution; as well as how it will work with international partners to make this a reality.' Parliamentarians from Labour, the Conservatives, Lib Dems, SNP, Greens, Plaid Cymru, SDLP and independents are amongst those who signed the letter. Some 135 Labour MPs – one in three – signed the letter, indicating the strength of feeling on the matter across the backbenches in Sir Keir's party. In a video posted on social media on Friday, Mr Sarwar said: 'I have long supported the immediate recognition of the State of Palestine and continue to do so. But whilst pressing for that, we must see the end of the war right now. 'What we're seeing on our screens and in our social media feeds is intolerable, unjustifiable and heartbreaking. The mass starvation of a population, the innocent killing of innocent civilians and the destruction of infrastructure. 'That's why we need an immediate ceasefire – we need the free flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, we need to see the end of illegal occupation and the pathway to a two-state solution.' He called for the release of the 50 remaining Israeli hostages who are still being held in captivity by Hamas.
BBC News
6 minutes ago
- BBC News
Newport: Accountant stole £2.4m to fund gambling addiction
An accountant stole more than £2.4m from companies she worked for in order to fund her gambling Lewis, 40, who was on a £200,000 salary, stole money from five businesses within the same family of companies, Newport Crown Court heard. Her actions caused considerable stress to other members of staff, causing one director to leave, another to lose out on his salary, and one woman unable to access her pension. Lewis, of Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud by abuse of position and was sentenced to five years in prison, with each charge to run concurrently. Her actions also meant that the companies, owned by James Davies, did not contribute enough Davies said Lewis was like a daughter to him, and felt like five companies she committed fraud against included Daisy Vale Limited, Charnwood Accounts, Edward Davies Construction and Fastnet Properties Orndal, prosecuting, told the court that Lewis began working for Mr Davies in 2007, first holding a role as a 2017 she was the accountant for the group of companies after she had her accountancy training funded by the company. However, when the company moved over to an online banking system financial problems began to arise. For the first time, the company began to see a substantial and unexplained downturn in suspicions were raised over an increase in third party payments, Lewis officially resigned in 2023 and a new accountant took Lewis contacted Mr Davies about her severance payment he noticed a link between her account details and a number of other payments on the account. 'Crypto companies' Mr Orndal said: "Instead of paying third party people she had been paying herself and disguising them as proper payments."Between 2018 and 2023, the total payments to her account exceeded £3.6m, with the total being more than £2.4m after her salary and other legitimate payments had been deducted. Mr Orndal said that £1.4m of this was sent to known gambling companies but this figure is likely to be higher as it is difficult to identify all gambling also spent £67,000 on crypto companies and £9,000 on FairFX, a bank which accepts payments in different already fraudulently stealing millions from the businesses, Lewis also asked Mr Davies to loan her £163,000 to help her buy a house, but the money was eventually repaid by her mother and a victim impact statement, Mr Davies said Lewis's crimes had "affected the lives of countless people" and she had also taken money from the Davies said one member of staff had been unable to withdraw her pension, despite working at the company for many years, because Lewis did not fund it a victim impact statement, former director Mark Cotter said that the stress on him had led to his GP making him take four to six weeks off work. "I felt forced to leave the company that I had spent a lot of my life trying to build," he added."I'm in disbelief that all of this happened because of Jemma Lewis."Neil Corre, for the defendant, said she was in this position due to her gambling said she did not gamble to win but to continue gambling, adding she had now been free of the addiction for more than a Corre said she hoped to use her experience to help others. "She has lost her job, her home and she may lose her liberty, but her moral compass has been restored," he Lewis, Judge Daniel Williams said: "You have been a gambler for years, since you were 18 and long before you were employed by James Davies. "Your upbringing was privileged but also blighted by trauma and sadness."
