King Charles - disquiet at Highgrove & the gardeners’ exodus - SUNDAY TIMES INVESTIGATION

[vera99]

Murdoch is growing bolder in his dotage — first with Trump, and now with another bombshell investigation into the grasping, stagnant, and catastrophically out-of-touch Windsors. And yet we keep pumping more public money into this so-called dysfunctional family.

What you need to know

King’s demands, staff shortages and low pay led to gardener exodus at Highgrove

Royal charity which runs gardens told to offer mental health support after formal investigation

Charles has lost 11 of 12 garden staff since 2022 including two head gardeners who quit within a year

Monarch said of one worker: “Do not put that man in front of me again”

After Ukraine invasion King proposed plugging staff shortages with war refugees or the elderly

At one point half of staff were on minimum wage

https://archive.ph/fspT3#selection-1495.0-1501.155

I’m a sceptic on pseudoscientific matters like you, but clearly KC isn’t relying on homeopathy for his current treatment! He clearly knows its limitations.

As for odd beliefs, Diana was a bit of a one for consulting mediums.

(Btw - off topic, but this has reminded me of one of my top 3 comedy sketches of all time. If you want a jolly good chuckle on a Tuesday evening, go on YouTube and search for Mitchell and Webb’s Homeopathic A&E sketch. It’s brilliant!)

Ah well if the cap fits....

You're bloody right it is - laughing away here ! That said I do like gong baths I've had a few over the years.

I really did like and trust him - I’m happy yo admit it even if everyone thinks I’m gullible!

Not only the royal stuff, but he once did a series on Welsh history that was excellent.

And that voice. He spoke English as only the Welsh can - see also Richard Burton, John Humphrys et al.

Oh well. At least I believe he was a wrong’un now - I don’t try to hold on to my hero when the evidence is there for all to see!

'Harry and Meghan's Netflix deal is dead': Bosses are 'just waiting for the credits to roll' on $100m contract with 'no appetite for anything new' after 'dismal' viewing figures, insiders claim | Daily Mail Online

Seems that this is the driving force behind the attack on KC3 and the Wales kids. Deflect. Distract. Deny.

As ever, it does not help the superfans icons!

I went to a friends’ daughters confirmation ceremony recently and all of the 30 or so young people being confirmed were anointed by the priest on their foreheads with holy oil blessed in the Vatican (it was an RC conformation). Each knelt before him to be anointed. The priest asked the congregation to please not take photos of this part of the ceremony, there would be photo opportunities later.

So not so unusual even for ordinary people.

Oh yes of course, we’re back to the “UK judicial system is all corrupt” now are we to explain how some royal family members win cases?

It has nothing at all to do with them taking good legal advice (from their eye watering expensive lawyers, as someone will be along soon to tell us, of course), listening to it and only pursuing cases that they are likely to win, of course. If only Harry had the sense to do the same…

Thanks for those, Puzzled

I hadn't seen those contradictions before.

More breathtaking eco-hypocrisy from a royal and equally breathtaking arrogance in the claim the Duchy lands were C's to do with as he likes.

Also worth noting W has seen nothing contradictory in the rapid issuing of profitable mineral mining licences along the coast set against his Earthshot pontificating and posturing since getting his maulers on the DoC.

Thanks, Jeff.

I did see but it's not really an argument I want to get drawn into.

I am however happy the Harolds are shining a spotlight on things the royals would prefer to keep in the shadows and hence inviting the public to examine the entire institution more minutely but that's absolutely more by luck than deliberate design IMO 😁

"you won’t find that kind of PR puffery in The Guardian or The Independent"

Here it is in today's Independent
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/prince-george-birthday-photo-william-kate-b2793546.html

I agree transparency is the key in all things!
I just feel all cards should be on the table, I actually read the posts at face value and felt certain sympathy with parts . Now I feel it was a stitch up 🙄

Both of these are works of fiction.

A classic case of divide and misrule, as it were. That said, this is my last night on the front line I've got other things that have, unfortunately, been sidelined over the past 24 hours. You two Republicans (real ones, by all accounts) are doing sterling work in bringing royal malfeasance into the light. I salute your indefatigability! If there was any justice it would at least be worth OBEs for an Empire that no longer exists on whom the sun never set until it finally did.

As the Buddhas last words wisely said "Everthing is impermanent , strive on with diligence" .

🙄

If there was any justice it would at least be worth OBEs

FWIW and not that it will ever happen but I'd happily refuse any kind of gong.

Just as well they ask before priming the pin 😁

Out of interest, were the non- native oysters an attempt to clean the river? Here in NYC, we have the Billion Oyster Project. William went into the river with school children involved with the project when he came to NYC:

https://www.billionoysterproject.org/

... you both are real republicans who while I may not always agree with , do present your opinions in a positive way without name calling

You're very kind, @jeffgoldblum, but except in the most extreme circumstances I recognise I've got too many faults myself to risk calling others names. It just isn't necessary, and if a point can't be made without rudeness then for me it's not worth making

As a republican I'm always being told I should be glad H&M are trying to trash the institution, but while I agree that anything they do to genuinely "shine a light" is good, it's the ugly behaviour, coarseness and lies I object to

And yes, @CathyorClaire, they do indeed ask if you'll accept being put forward for an honour before risking it ... I said no, but believe me it wasn't for bringing attention to some of the awfulness!!

Seconding this.

I'm appreciative of republicans who don't make it a personal vendetta against individual royals who are just trying to do their job*, or be nasty about them.

The RF is doing the job we currently ask it to do and if things change because people want a change, then so be it. But the nastiness about them (not so much on MN, where a reasonably civilised tone is still the norm) is unnecessary and actually counter-productive.

Also - sensible republicans see this and even have some empathy for KC in some cases.

• I don't count ex-royals who are trying to disrupt the actual RF's work from afar. Happy to have fun at their expense.

I appreciate Republicans with an informed point of view.

Electing the Head of State will not usher in paradise. Take a long hard look at Republics and some of the issues they are facing.

Domestically, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was elected democratically to parliament, cost the country several billion pounds in 30 minutes by crying in Parliament and thereby negatively impacting the gilt yield curve.

By contrast a meeting of about the same duration between Prince William and the then President-elect Trump in France at the re-opening of the Notre Dame helped shift the UK from a 25% tariff bucket to a 10% tariff bucket saving the UK billions in pounds.

A cogent analysis of the pros and cons of each system of government makes for a far better conversation.

@My2cents

No, and the existence of the monarchy is not the reason some people are poor in this country.

Re the wages - it really is still prestigious to have on your CV being a former royal employee. For many people, it’s worth a few years lower pay for the royal family in exchange for much higher wages later. A churn of staff would be exactly what you’d expect in that situation. Do your 3-4 years, move on to better things. Comparing wages from the royal household to other employers does presume you can get the jobs at the other better paid employers without the experience somewhere like Highgrove first.

And the horticultural opportunities at Highgrove will be far more wide-ranging than working for the council in a municipal park. To get that kind of experience before applying for jobs would definitely give you the edge.

I understand the importance of a unique experience. But I really don’t think that excuses low pay, even if people accept it. Particularly if the person paying is one of the richest people in the world and is supposed to be a good example. And I know that he is no longer paying directly, but the paying body is a charity set up by him, and which he had a say in the Ts&Cs.

but the paying body is a charity set up by him, and which he had a say in the Ts&Cs

And still feels entitled to widen the remit to demand additional services at no cost to himself.

Does anyone know though if the remit of the charity is to train people on the job? If so, then I think it’s a different matter and a low age while training is acceptable, the idea being that you save paying fees for a college course and then leave at the end to apply for a professional post elsewhere.

I’ve come across small charities which do this kind of thing.