Overview

• Highgrove’s permanent gardening team has dwindled to a single full-time gardener after 11 of 12 staff resigned since March 2022.
• Staff departures accelerated this year following reports of minimum-wage pay and strain from King Charles’s meticulous daily walkabouts accompanied by red-ink memos.
• WorkNest’s independent HR investigation confirmed chronic understaffing and flawed management and urged pay reviews, leadership training and mental health support.
• The King’s Foundation cites cumulative pay rises of 15–19% and below-average turnover but insiders report lingering morale and recruitment challenges.
• The estate now relies on temporary workers, volunteers and support from other royal properties to maintain Highgrove’s organic showcase and public programs.