Highgrove

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For the census-designated place, see Highgrove, California.

Highgrove House is the country home of HRH The Prince of Wales, in Gloucestershire, England. Situated near Tetbury, Highgrove House was purchased in 1980 by the Duchy of Cornwall. The Duchy also manages the estate surrounding the house.

Built in 1796 to 1798 by John Paul Paul (a Huguenot), it belonged to his descendants until 1860. It was restored in 1894 after a fire. The house has four reception rooms, nine main bedrooms, a nursery wing and staff quarters. The Duchy of Cornwall acquired Highgrove House from the MP Maurice Macmillan, son of former Tory Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in 1980. The purchase added to the nation's speculation that the Prince was considering marriage.

The house was redecorated by Dudley Poplak, the interior decorator who also worked on the Prince and Princess of Wales's apartment at Kensington Palace, and the royal couple moved into Highgrove in the autumn of 1981. In 1988 the plain exterior of the house was embellished with new balustrade, pediment, and column of classical pilasters to the Prince of Wales's own design. A new single-storey staff annexe was also added.

A keen gardener, the Prince of Wales has devoted much time to planning and designing the gardens. He has created a wild garden, a formal garden and a walled kitchen garden. He has also planted a large number of trees in the grounds. He placed a bust of Dr Alan McGlashan, MC in the garden.

The Highgrove Estate consists of parkland fringed by woods surrounding Highgrove House, a number of farm buildings and around 900 acres (364ha) of land farmed by the Duchy of Cornwall- the Home Farm. The beef herd based at Highgrove includes pedigree Aberdeen-Angus females and yearlings, Angus bulls and Angus cross Friesian cows. Sharing the permanent pasture with the beef herd is the flock of Masham and Mule sheep.

In 1985 the decision was taken to introduce chemical-free farming on three blocks of land as part of a general move to what has been called biologically sustainable farming linked to conservation. The step to full organic status on the whole estate was completed in 1996.

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Royal Palaces and residencies in the United Kingdom	Image:Royal Standard of England.svg
Occupied: Bagshot Park \| Balmoral Castle \| Buckingham Palace \| Clarence House \| Gatcombe Park \| Highgrove \| Hillsborough Castle \| Holyrood Palace \| St. James's Palace \| Kensington Palace \| Sandringham House \| Thatched House Lodge \| Windsor Castle
Historical: Palace of Beaulieu \| Beaumont Palace \| Bridewell Palace \| Brantridge Park \| Cadzow Castle \| Cumberland Lodge \| Dunfermline Palace \| Eltham Palace \| Falkland Palace \| Fort Belvedere \| Hampton Court Palace \| Kew Palace \| Linlithgow Palace \| Marlborough House \| Castle of Mey \| Nonsuch Palace \| Osborne House \| Palace of Placentia \| Queen's House \| Richmond Palace \| Royal Pavilion \| Savoy Palace \| Tower of London \| Palace of Westminster \| Palace of Whitehall \| Woodstock Palace