- Located in Gloucestershire, England, Highgrove House is one of several residences owned by King Charles.
- The royal family home, which King Charlespurchased in 1980 and Princess Diana helped decorate after their marriage in 1981, is an important location in season four of The Crown.
- Known for its large, landscaped gardens that attract 40,000 visitors a year, Highgrove House also operates a store where you can buy goods made from produce grown on site.
While King Charles and his wife Camilla, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom maintain a glamorous London residence known as Clarence House, those who watch season four of The Crown will notice that the show references another prominent royal family home: Highgrove House.
The King of England originally purchased the house in 1980, ahead of his marriage to Princess Diana, and the royal couple raised Prince William and Harry on the countryside estate. To this day, King Charles still maintains the expansive residence and is "particularly proud of the garden," according to the Duchy of Cornwall official website. Luckily for fans of the royal family, although the residence is private, there are ways to view the beautiful gardens virtually and in person.
King Charles first bought Highgrove House in 1980.
Originally built in the 18th century, Highgrove House is located in Gloucestershire, England, about a two-hour drive from London. The former owner, Maurice Macmillan sold the house to Prince Charles in 1980, ahead of his marriage to Princess Diana, according to the New York Times.
Over the years, the three-story, nine-bedroom house has been spruced up and refurbished to include a "steel-lined" panic room to protect its royal residents, a swimming pool, beautiful gardens, and more.
Highgrove House was the main residence for King Charles and Princess Diana.
According to the BBC, Princes William and Harry grew up and spent their early childhood years at Highgrove House, where locals became accustomed to seeing Princess Diana and her two sons.
Even following Princess Diana's death, Prince William and Harry continued to spend time at Highgrove House with their father King Charles.
Highgrove House is known for its royal gardens.
According to the Highgrove House gardens website, when King Charles first arrived at the home, there was "a neglected kitchen garden, an overgrown copse, some pastureland and a few hollow oaks." Over the years, the King of England—who is involved in hedge-laying, picking wildflower seed mixes, beekeeping, and more—transformed the Highgrove gardens, which now welcome 40,000 visitors a year. The Duke of Cornwall makes clear his mission to restore the land in his book, Highgrove: Portrait of an Estate. "I had absolutely no experience of gardening or farming, and the only trees I had planted had been official ones in very official holes," he wrote. "I knew I wanted to take care of the place in a very personal way and to leave it one day, in a far better condition than I found it."
Highlights of the garden include:
- The Stumpery: Natural wood structures and habitat for wildlife that includes the Wall of Gifts, a display of architectural stones.
- Cottage Garden: Containing two planting styles, one section is inspired by Tibetan silks and has a yellow, pink and blue theme, while the other has a classic English style with trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants.
- Sundial Garden: Originally designed as a rose garden, this space now has flowering delphiniums that blossom in the summer months.
- Thyme Walk: An avenue lined with large scale hedges, topiary, and golden yew clipped to form whimsical shapes and styles.
- Wildflower Meadow: A four-acre, constantly evolving meadow landscape planted with a mix of new species each year.
For those hoping to get a glimpse of the gardens in-person, you're in luck. While the Highgrove House residence is private, the gardens are open for tours every year from April to October. You can opt for an expert-guided group tour, a private tour, or even a champagne tea tour. Those who can't make it to England to see the blooms in person can take a digital virtual tour of the beautiful grounds.
Highgrove House has its own shop.
In addition to the extensive gardens, Highgrove House maintains its own store where it sells home and bath products, Highgrove branded wine and spirits, as well as goods created with produce grown in the garden.
For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter.
