A former member of the Highgrove team has shared fresh details about the King’s personal tastes in the kitchen garden. Two vegetables did not make the cut.
Article: King Charles’s private preferences in the garden have come into sharper focus after a former Highgrove gardener spoke about the crops grown for the monarch during the pandemic. According to Hello Magazine, David Pearce worked in the kitchen garden for around a year and said the King took a close interest in what was planted. The picture that emerges is precise and practical. Charles wanted produce he enjoyed most, from salad leaves to asparagus, and he even had firm views on the exact size of one vegetable served at the table.
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David Pearce Details Charles’s Highgrove Requests
Pearce said the growing plan was shaped by the King’s own tastes. "We were growing mostly things he requested himself – a whole bed of salad and two whole beds of asparagus, he was very keen on that," David Pearce told The Farnham Herald. He also described a preference for cauliflower and carefully sized carrots used for crudités. "Things like cauliflower, and he particularly liked his crudité carrots – we would have to grow them to a particular size, of your little finger," said David Pearce according to Hello Magazine.
Spinach, Fennel and Leeks Made the List
The former gardener’s account suggests a menu built around simple, fresh produce from the estate. Spinach ranked highly, alongside onions, leeks and Florence fennel. Pearce said the work often came down to matching the King’s individual preferences rather than following a broader seasonal plan. That level of detail fits Charles’s long-standing hands-on interest in gardening and food production. Highgrove has for decades reflected that approach, with the estate’s gardens serving not only as a private retreat but also as an expression of his environmental values.
Squash and Courgettes Were Off the Menu
Not every vegetable earned a place in the royal greenhouses. Pearce said two varieties were entirely excluded from the growing list: squash and courgettes. The comment offers a rare domestic detail about the monarch’s eating habits and adds to the image of a ruler with clear opinions on what should reach the plate. It also underlines how carefully managed the Highgrove kitchen garden was during his time there. Even among a wide range of homegrown produce, some crops were simply not wanted at all.
Charles Balances Garden Life With a Full Royal Diary
The gardening insight arrives during a packed period for the King. This week, he and Queen Camilla attended engagements linked to Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy, including a Buckingham Palace reception and a visit to view memorial designs at the British Museum. Charles also received the Blue Peter Green Badge at Dumfries House in recognition of his environmental work and support for young people through The King’s Trust. Next week, the King and Queen will travel to the United States for a state visit, adding another major overseas duty to a busy royal schedule.
