King Charles apparently left a lasting impression on the staff at Highgrove House, according to one former royal gardener who recently recalled an awkward interaction with the monarch. In a recent interview, Jack Stooks, who was the British royal family’s head gardener for more than 20 years, narrated a run-in with the 77-year-old that led him to an important realization about the King’s character.
King Charles’ former gardener reveals their awkward encounter after he took the crown
While speaking to CasinoHawks, Stooks opened up about a 2022 mishap at Highgrove House when Charles had recently ascended the throne.
“We had a call about a leak in the irrigation system,” he noted, as per Marie Claire magazine. “The King hates any sort of waste, and losing water like this is a big no-no, so the gardeners rushed to fix it.” As he was trying to fix the leakage, Stooks realized that none other than King Charles was coming his way. “I was a bit thrown, so I said ‘Good evening, Your Highness,'” Stooks revealed. “However this was just after he had become King, so this was the wrong greeting.”
He continued, “As soon as I said it, I realized my mistake and panicked, and in the moment ended up swearing.” Stooks immediately apologized to King Charles and corrected his error by addressing him as “Your Majesty.” However, much to the royal gardener’s relief, the British monarch did not make a big deal about the mistake and instead responded in good spirit.
Stooks exclaimed, “He was completely fine about it. He just told me it was okay and not to worry. 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.”
The former royal gardener also disclosed that King Charles’ habit of mingling with the staff did not change following his coronation. “He still spent a lot of time with the gardeners and was very hands-on,” Stooks confirmed. “That didn’t change even when he took the crown.”
Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on Mandatory.com.
