Royal forgoes 900 acre farm lease in favour of the crown

“Oh I just can’t wait to be king.”

This week, the nation’s press – and even further afield – has been awash with speculation and confirmation that HRH Prince Charles is set to give up the reins on his organic farm at Highgrove House citing insufficient time to commit to it as he prepares to be king in the not-so-distant future.

…ah, the right royal, real world problems huh?

Charles, who has worked the 900-acres at Home Farm in his Gloucestershire country estate since 1985, is reportedly not to renew the lease when it expires in April 2021 due to concerns he will be unable to dedicate the time needed to service the 20 year lease agreement once he takes to the throne.

Home Farm has been a labour of love for the muddiest member of the royal family. He is credited with using ‘pioneering agricultural techniques’ – including the much talked about Biodynamic methods of planting to lunar cycles – to be among the first farms in the UK to go fully organic. The new leaseholder, selected with no royal association – will be duty bound to keep this up and fuel the Duchy Organic brand.

The Royal won’t walk away from his love of farming though; instead he is expecting to put time into the 2,000 acres of land at Sandringham Estate that has recently been converted into an organic farm with rumours abound he intends on forming the nation’s biggest organic sheep farm.

Back in October, Muddy Matches were fortunate enough to receive a royal recommendation of sorts when the country life dating service were afforded a welcome namecheck in the ITV documentary Prince Charles: Inside the Duchy of Cornwall.

The documentary, which attracted ITV’s highest viewing figures for a single programme in 2019, sparked an unexpected sudden surge in sign-ups from singletons when two farmers on the Prince’s estate talked of meeting on Muddy Matches.

The 10 second on screen reference created a 640% 48 hour increase in website enquiries and registration soared in the two hours post broadcast such is the power of Royal association.