Highgrove Estate (Glos)

The ‘private residence’ of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Highgrove sells itself as follows: “A variety of tours, events, and workshops take place on the Highgrove Estate throughout the year; from workshops and black-tie dinners to guest talks, and special tour packages, there is something for everyone to enjoy at Highgrove.” Something for everyone includes hunting. Charles used to enjoy chasing foxes with the Beaufort Hunt (and was vigorously opposed to the passing of the Hunting Act, describing fox hunting in 2002 as “completely natural – in that it relies entirely on man’s ancient and, indeed, romantic relationship with dogs and horses”), and a groundsman at Highgrove is part of the Beaufort, whose hounds are kenneled just ten miles down the road at Badminton House, now the family home of the 12th Duke of Beaufort, Harry Somerset. Remarkably Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch videod the Beaufort hunting at Highgrove in October 2023, writing very pertinently that “This isn’t the first time that the Beaufort Hunt hounds have picked up on the scent of a fox in Highgrove Estate. Of course we’re not allowed in there but why are they allowing BH hounds to search for foxes in there? Where were the Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Royal Household Protection Group (RHPG). They must have heard the hounds in full cry at the back gate.” Where indeed: presumably looking the other way…