King Charles’ ‘relaxed approach to life at home’ didn’t change after he became King, says former royal gardener
Becoming head of the royal family didn’t suddenly change King Charles at home, according to a former palace employee.
Jack Stooks, who spent years as head gardener at Highgrove, said Charles kept his “relaxed approach” even after taking the throne in 2022.
Speaking to CasinoHawks, he recalled an awkward moment that showed just how hands-on the king was with his staff.
Leak in the irrigation system
Stooks explained that he was working on the irrigation system when he heard someone approaching.
“We had a call about a leak in the irrigation system. The king hates any sort of waste and losing water like this is a big no-no, so the gardeners rushed to fix it,” he recalled.
He continued, “I was in one of the bushes, bent down trying to fix this pipe, and I heard someone walking through the tunnel towards me. I stood up, thinking they needed to speak to me, and came face to face with the king.”
‘Your Highness’
Stooks recalled being so caught off guard that he ended up addressing Charles incorrectly.
“I was a bit thrown, so I said ‘Good evening Your Highness.’ However, this was just after he had become king, so this was the wrong greeting,” he said.
He caught his mistake as soon as the words came out, but his nerves went into overdrive. “As soon as I said it, I realized my mistake and panicked, and in the moment ended up swearing,” Stooks said. “I apologized and addressed him correctly as ‘Your Majesty.’”
‘Relaxed approach to life’
Thankfully, Stooks said Charles didn’t make a big deal out of the blunder. “He was completely fine about it. He just told me it was okay and not to worry,” he recalled. “He said he was still getting used to the change in title as well. He’s a very kind man, and this is just one example of how understanding he is.”
Stooks said he’d expected Charles to become less involved at Highgrove, but that never really happened.
“I remember thinking that when Charles became king we wouldn’t see him as much. I thought his relaxed approach to life at home would change, but it didn’t,” he noted. “He still spent a lot of time with the gardeners and was very hands-on. That didn’t change even when he took the crown.”
King Charles became monarch in 2022
King Charles became Britain’s monarch on September 8, 2022, following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. At 73, he became the oldest person to succeed to the British throne.
Elizabeth reigned for 70 years and 214 days, making her the longest-reigning monarch in British history.
The day after her death, Charles made his first televised address to the nation. He spoke about his “profound sorrow” over losing his mother and paid tribute to all the years she spent serving the nation.
“As the queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I, too, now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation,” he said.