King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla have their choice of royal residences to stay in, including the 775-room Buckingham Palace and the 900-year-old Windsor Castle, but his most beloved just might be his private country retreat, Highgrove House, in the Gloucestershire countryside. The monarch has owned this home since 1980, and he first lived there with Princess Diana and his two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. It’s a nine-bedroom, six-bathroom property with award-winning gardens that are open for members of the public to admire.
Within the grounds, there is a small secret chapel that His Majesty uses for private contemplation. Royal author, Robert Hardman, revealed in his book, Charles III. Robert writes: "In good times and bad, as both the Prince of Wales and now as King, he likes to retreat to his 'sanctuary', his tiny chapel in the grounds of Highgrove, to gather his thoughts." When Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died, he took time to find solace at his Gloucestershire retreat, so it’s possible that the monarch used this private space to reflect on his sad loss.
The grounds are extra special and contain a series of individual 'outdoor rooms' that are open to the public each summer. Among these is the Carpet Garden, which won a silver-gilt medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show back in 2001, was based on a sketch that King Charles had drawn, inspired by a Turkish carpet he had inside his home.
The 18th-century residence is surrounded by 900 acres of organic land, including a farm which Prince Charles installed when he first renovated the house. At one of his final engagements as the Prince of Wales, the royal revealed he was called an “idiot” for having organic ambitions. He said: "One of the reasons I went organic 40 years ago was because I felt there was an overuse of antibiotics. And I felt that if you overdo it, you end up with resistance. Anyway, that's what happened. I was told I was a complete idiot for even suggesting going organic." Keep scrolling to see pictures of the property inside and out, before and after it was owned by royalty…
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An unearthed image reveals the sitting room before Charles moved in
Before: living room
In 1980, just before Charles moved into the property, a photo of one of the living rooms was released. It revealed a floral sofa with matching curtains, and several separate armchairs. There was also a wooden chest of drawers and coordinating side tables, as well as multiple floral desk lamps with white shades.
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Prince Charles posing in his lounge
After: living room
Two years later in 1982 once the then-Prince Charles had moved in, a coloured photo revealed more detail of one of the living rooms. Charles sat on a cream sofa with green and blue patterned cushions, and there was a dark chestnut wood side table with framed photos and ornaments on it. There was also a desk lamp with a white shade, and a house plant in a white pot. The room had cream walls and large sash windows.
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The stark dining room before it was owned by royalty
Before: dining room
An unearthed photo of the dining room revealed a large table with space for six guests, and more floral curtains. There were also two mounted candelabras and two framed photos on the walls. The design is quite pared-back and it had a glow-up after the then-Prince moved in.
The special dining room has now been painted a beautiful shade of green and this image shows it has a long central table and traditional windows overlooking the grounds. Doesn't it look rather special, all decked out for Christmas?
A series of family photos were released in 1986. This one showed Princess Diana playing with Harry and William in the garden on a children's climbing frame and slide.
The family also had their own swimming pool. An image shows Charles and Harry strolling alongside the feature. It had a patio around it surrounded by a small fence and plenty of flowers.
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The walled garden is a special place for Charles
In another area of the garden, there was a white wooden pagoda with a matching bench.
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Wildflowers outside the property made it picture perfect
The family posed in the wildflower meadow surrounding the house. It looks worthy of a postcard!
An exterior shot of the property revealed that it is covered in climbing plants. Gardeners work hard to maintain the perfect outside space.
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Highgrove is a sizeable property
The Orchard Room
In 2005, Prince Charles and Camilla welcomed Ty Hafan Children's Hospice into their home. This photo was taken in the Orchard Room in Highgrove House, featuring red and cream patterned carpet, concrete walls and plinths, and an alcove-shaped ceiling. There was also a large chandelier hanging above the Christmas tree.
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