King Charles keeps ‘staff on their feet’ at private Cotswolds home

The King has overseen Highgrove in Gloucestershire since 1980, transforming it with extensive, carefully designed gardens.

In a new video shared jointly on Instagram by the Royal Horticultural Society, Highgrove Gardens and The King’s Foundation, the 77-year-old monarch was credited with a light‑hearted habit during his stays at the estate.

Melissa Simpson, Head of Horticulture at The King’s Foundation, explained that a teleporting garden gnome has become a running mystery for the team.

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Speaking on camera to RHS designer Frances Tophill, who works on The King’s Foundation Curious Garden, revealed that she thinks the monarch is behind the moves.

She said: “We’ve got a little gnome that seems to move around, and I’m sure it’s the boss [The King] moving that around just to keep us on our feet.”

She went on to describe Highgrove as “a wonderful place to work”, showing appreciation for the Cotswolds estate.

The accompanying caption of the video described “the curious tradition of The King’s hidden gnome at Highgrove Garden”.

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Highgrove House in the Cotswolds. (Image: Highgrove House)

This comes after the King was praised for stripping several people of their OBEs and MBEs this month.

Oxford city councillor Susanna Pressel said: “It’s good that people like this are having their honours taken away from them.

“I don’t think there is any way of preventing it from happening. It seems to be hard to predict who will do something wicked.

“I suppose it shows that there is good and bad in everyone, but certainly don’t think that the honours system should be scrapped.

“About 99 per cent of recipients thoroughly deserve to be recognised for the amazing and public-spirited things they have done for our society, and for helping to make the world a better place.”