King Charles run the gardeners away – his leadership style is “toxic”

He is called “the Green King”. Charles III was enthusiastic long before he climbed the throne. For nature – and for the lush gardens of the kingdom. The garden of Highgrove is considered a heart project. But of all people in his paradise garden there is trouble: the gardeners run away from the king.

In the past three years, the king has lost almost all of his garden staff on the high-grove estate, reports the “Times”. During this time, eleven out of twelve gardeners would have terminated that the elaborate landscape maintenance is largely adopted by staff from other royal lands. The employees report “toxic” working conditions – and steady cones by Charles III. himself.

The king is much more active in the everyday business of the garden than one would expect in view of its royal obligations. Even the smallest details such as the size of peaches or the exact color of the rose flowers should keep an eye on. According to the report, the gardeners receive regularly handwritten comments from the king. They contain enthusiasm and praise – but also a lot of blame.

Written in red ink, the notes should contain clear expectations, which has to change. And that down to the smallest detail. A single Kreut-Busch on the pool should be removed, an inadequate care of the beloved knight’s spur had spoiled him with one of his favorite moments of the summer, the king complained in some notes. Others expressed an overwhelming joy of particularly successful plants.

With the staff, however, the negative notes in particular left traces. The work environment is “toxic”, report former “Times” employees. A gardener had been released during the trial period because he could not answer questions about a flower variety. “Never let this man step back in front of me,” Charles is said to have scolded.

The king’s demands were “impossible”, former gardeners complained to the “Times”. “The claims of the king are hardly adapted to the actual conditions,” says a complaint submitted in 2023. “But it would never be allowed to call us understaffed.” An external examination triggered has confirmed the understaffing, reports the “Times”. But nothing changed.

The departure of the gardeners could also be related to the general job conditions. The Buckingham Palace pays £ 32,000 (about 36,600 euros) as the annual salary for the management of a gardener team. This is not much: the median income in expensive London is £ 47,000. After all, accommodation and lunch are provided. Buckingham expects “excellent time management”, outstanding knowledge of historical gardens and a lot of creativity. Despite the failures, no jobs are currently advertised for high -grove.

The palace is officially silent about the allegations. But in the area of the king, she doesn’t seem to take her too seriously. “There are probably some annoyed former employees who want to cause difficulties for the King’s Foundation,” quotes “Vanity Fair” a source from the palace. “The king loves high -grove and is very proud of everything he created here.” The High-Grove Foundation, which officially operates the garden, told People: “We take the well-being of our staff extremely seriously and strive to be an outstanding employer.” The satisfaction in employee surveys is “very high”.

High-Grove has a special emotional weight for the garden enthusiast. He bought the garden in 1980 and spent time with his later wife Diana before the wedding. The princes William and Harry played as children in a tree house built for them. Charles sees Highmert as his retreat. There he also spent the Covid Lockdowns. A confidant of the king said the “Sun”: “It is the place where he feels best relaxed and most at home.”