Prince William says tourists could see directly into his bedroom at Highgrove House, forcing him to “hit the floor” and hurriedly close the curtains. On several mornings, he had opened them before getting dressed.
The Prince of Wales, 44, shared the memory in the November 11 issue of Country Life, which he guest-edited. As PEOPLE reported, he described the difficulty of living in a private house surrounded by a working public garden.
William and Prince Harry spent weekends and school holidays at the Gloucestershire estate with their parents, Charles and Princess Diana. The house became one of their regular family retreats away from their other royal residences.
The nearly 300-page edition brings together personal memories and people William admires for their work in the countryside. His selections include wildlife rangers, curlew conservationists and Groove Armada musician Andy Cato, who has become a regenerative farmer.
Public Gardens Surround a Private Home
The Duchy of Cornwall acquired Highgrove in 1980, and Charles moved there that year. According to Highgrove Gardens, the grounds initially included a neglected kitchen garden, overgrown woodland, pastureland and several hollow oak trees.
Charles gradually developed a series of connected gardens reflecting his interests in plants, wildlife and organic growing. The estate’s current history says it welcomes up to 40,000 visitors annually, with garden tours, events and shop sales supporting charitable work.
Highgrove House remains Charles and Queen Camilla’s private residence and is excluded from public tours. Visitors must book garden tickets in advance and explore with a guide. The King’s Foundation lists the regular garden season as April through October.
The Brothers Had a Basement Retreat
In his 2023 memoir, Spare, Harry recalled how a basement room that had served as a bomb shelter became a teenage hideaway for him and William. They called it Club H, with the letter standing for Highgrove.
According to InStyle, Harry described the windowless space as somewhere he could find solitude away from the activity elsewhere in the house. He remembered that William valued the room too, writing that his older brother seemed particularly at peace there.
A Childhood Treehouse Shaped William’s Essay
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In his introductory essay, William recalled first seeing a treehouse built into a holly tree on his seventh birthday. He could still picture its original appearance, even though the structure had since been restored and adapted.
Those changes helped shape his approach to looking after places he loves. “The places you love best are not the ones you preserve unchanged, but the ones you keep quietly improving,” he wrote.
William connected that idea with his responsibilities as Duke of Cornwall, including visits to tenant farmers and conversations about opportunities for younger generations. His essay discussed rural mental health support, environmental innovation and helping communities remain places where people can build a future.
George and Kate Contributed Personal Touches
Prince George’s drawing of a kingfisher appears in the edition. The 13-year-old completed it when he was 12, and William sent it to editor-in-chief Mark Hedges with a modest suggestion: “Please use it if you think it’s good enough,” Hedges recalled in The Times.
Princess Kate contributed an interview with nature writer Robert Macfarlane about the outdoors and her recovery following cancer treatment. William discussed family walks with their dogs, Orla and Otto, explaining that the animals encourage George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to get outside and explore.
The issue includes other personal selections, from William’s favorite painting and countryside view to his enthusiasm for Aston Villa. ITV News highlighted his fondness for the chocolate biscuit cake first served to him by Queen Elizabeth II, which he later chose for his 2011 wedding.