Staffers complain about working conditions and about King’s impolite behaviour
King Charles was hit with a major setback after his Highgrove Gardens lost 11 out of 12 gardeners citing a toxic work environment for employees.
The royal estate, which is now being managed by the King’s Foundation, received complaints from staffers about multiple issues which also included strict micro-managing by the monarch himself and harsh attitude from top management.
An external investigation was conducted by the King’s Foundation, after the grievances were raised by staffers. According to a report by The Sunday Times, it was revealed that the management at Highgrove is indeed “poor”.
The inquiry also evidence of staff being paid “minimum wage” and suggested it to be reviewed if the wanted to alleviate the matter of “staff shortages”. It stated that low pay scale would continue to be an “issue for recruitment and retention” if not taken care of.
An employee detailed how “staff had developed physical injuries trying to keep up, and that the team suffered from low morale”.
Meanwhile, there were also complains about the executive director of Highgrove, Constantine Innemee, who happens to be King’s most trusted advisers. One staffer shared that he was shouted at and given a dressing down by Innemee.
Moreover, Charles has “remained involved on the most minute level, supervising everything from the size of peaches to the shade of roses”. The king himself gives out impolite feedback as employees receive “notes in thick red ink” and “strikingly specific, emotional and demanding.”
He is even known to “correcting grammar”.
However, the report emphasised that King Charles “remains as committed to his estate as ever”.
