Prince William Reveals How King Charles Passion for Gardening Forced Him to Take Extreme Measures
Prince William had to navigate some tricky situations due to the public gardens of Highgrove.
When one thinks of gardening, they probably imagine flowers, trees, birds, or even compost to an extent. What one might not be able to fathom is how a garden might lead to accidental privacy embarrassments. But as with most things, the royals may have a different experience with the hobby. In his recent guest edit of The Country Life magazine, Prince William made a brave admission about how King Charles’ passion for gardening at Highgrove led to some “close calls” and the extreme steps he had to take to avoid a flashy moment.
Over the years, Charles has proudly tended to the vast gardens of Highgrove, and although it is a private house, the gardens are open to members of the public. So, naturally, like any other “working public garden” that is “constantly being developed and nurtured”, the property seemed to always be crawling with people, William explained. The “busy” environment, however, created some embarrassingly “difficult” situations for William growing up.
“I remember several times when I would wake up, open the curtains, and have to hit the floor and hurriedly close them, because I was not fully dressed and there were people outside who could see straight into my bedroom window!" he said. This forced the Prince to drop “to the ground” to avoid being caught by people in any inappropriate moment.
The Prince of Wales must have many vivid memories of Highgrove, as he spent several childhood years at the property with Prince Harry and their parents, Charles and Princess Diana. The property comes under the Duchy of Cornwall, which for many years was overlooked by his father. However, after Charles ascended the throne, the Duchy was inherited by William. So, interestingly, the King leases his private estate from his son presently.
William’s November guest edit appeared to be a wholesome family affair as he invited Princess Catherine to take part as well. Her conversation with non-fiction environmental author Robert Macfarlane was published in the issue. The special edition also featured Prince George’s brilliant artwork.
While he fulfilled his duties as a guest editor with flying colors, the Prince of Wales will be looking at a busy few days. Next week he will be travelling to Mumbai, India, for the sixth Earthshot Prize ceremony. It is being speculated that the Princess of Wales might join him on the trip.
