King Charles seems to be side-lining the major conflict brewing in his royal estates after staffers made shocking allegations about the working conditions.
Despite the setback, the monarch was given a special honour from a gardening charity, Royal Horticultural Society, for “inspiring many to experience the joy of gardening”.
“This week, the RHS unveiled a new Royal Signature to celebrate His Majesty King Charles III being the charity’s Royal Patron and inspiring many to experience the joy of gardening,” a statement read alongside highlights from Charles’s latest visit at Sandringham Flower show.
“The botanical artwork was presented to The King at the sandringhamestate, where His Majesty signed the painting, created by botanical artist Gillian Barlow, with calligraphy by Timothy Noad MBE,” it continued.
“The beautiful painting features a Royal Coat of Arms created to a new design surrounded by The King’s favourite plants, which are all growing in the new gardens at Sandringham.”
The RHS also revealed that a copy of the painting will be displayed at the current exhibition of Royal Signature paintings in the Ballroom in Sandringham House. It will kick off on July 30, 2025, and continue until October 10, 2025.
The monarch has been in the centre of backlash after an investigation by the London Sunday Times revealed the poor treatment of gardeners at Charles’s Highgrove Gardens and how 11 out of 12 staffers quit their jobs in a mass exodus.
While the King’s Foundation issued a statement asserting that they “strive to be an exemplary employer” and that the “staff turnover is well below the national average, as is the number of formal grievances raised”.
In the report, staffers shared that the King was “intensely demanding,” while they were understaffed and “overwhelmed and struggling to fulfil the king’s requests.”
They accused the estate for underpaying and for overall poor treatment. Charles, in particular, was noted to be harsh, a contrast from the avuncular figure painted by the Palace.
One gardener said staff were stated that they were treated like “dirt” and the king’s position made it impossible to speak up.
While the King’s Foundation statement once posed a rosy image of staff satisfaction, it did not address core allegations that led to the mass exodus.