King Charles has an unusual source of comfort as he continues his cancer battle — a flock of rescued chickens living inside a royal coop cheekily nicknamed “Cluckingham Palace.”
The 77-year-old monarch is said to be spending time among the hens, gardens and orchards at his beloved Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, where insiders claim nature has taken on a deeply personal role during his health struggles.
Charles, who revealed his cancer diagnosis in 2024, has long championed organic gardening, conservation and living in harmony with the natural world. But sources say those beliefs have become even more important since his diagnosis.
“The King has always believed strongly in the healing power of nature, but that belief has become more meaningful during his cancer journey,” a royal source told RadarOnline.
“He genuinely feels that being among the gardens, the trees and his chickens has the power to help him heal.”
The insider added that while the royal chickens may sound amusing to outsiders, Charles reportedly finds caring for them surprisingly therapeutic.
“The hens might make people smile, but for him there is something deeply calming and restorative about caring for them,” the source said.
Highgrove has been Charles’ country retreat since 1980, and over the decades he has transformed the sprawling property into a showcase for his environmental philosophy.
During warmer weather, the estate’s rescue hens are allowed to roam through parts of the orchards, scratching through the grass and wandering around as visitors pass by.
Scott Simpson, retail director for The King’s Foundation, said the chickens have become a major part of everyday life at Highgrove.
“They’re central to Highgrove life, and it’s always lovely to see them happily roaming around, pecking away,” Simpson said.
He explained that Charles’ entire approach to the estate revolves around “living with nature and nature’s creatures.”
And then there is the chickens’ very royal residence.
The Highgrove coop has long been nicknamed “Cluckingham Palace,” a play on Buckingham Palace that has reportedly become a favorite joke among staff and visitors.
Charles was even shown visiting the coop and collecting eggs in the Amazon Prime documentary Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision.
“It’s been known as that for as long as I’ve been there,” Simpson said. “I’m not sure how that name came up, but it’s rather fitting — and it makes everyone chuckle.”
But Charles apparently does more than simply admire his feathered residents.
Whenever he is staying at Highgrove, the King reportedly makes a point of personally checking on the birds and collecting their eggs.
“It’s something he will always do when in residence at Highgrove, going to collect the eggs himself,” Simpson said.
Those eggs are then used by the royal household, with some also sold at the estate.
Charles’ flock includes breeds such as Burford Browns, Marans and Welsummers, with many of the chickens rescued and given a second chance at royal life.
One particularly famous hen is Henrietta, who became the one-millionth chicken rehomed by the British Hen Welfare Trust.
Charles and Queen Camilla adopted Henrietta along with 30 other rescued hens in 2024.
For the King, insiders say the daily ritual offers something difficult to find in royal life — a quiet escape from constant public attention, medical concerns and the responsibilities of the Crown.
“There is no suggestion that the King sees nature as a replacement for medical treatment,” another insider said.
“But he believes wellbeing is about more than medicine alone. Highgrove gives him peace, and the chickens are part of that.”
Highgrove has also remained at the center of Charles’ environmental work despite his health battle.
The King recently welcomed soccer legend Sir David Beckham to the estate as the pair worked on plans for a joint garden connected to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Simpson, who keeps rescue chickens himself, said there is something uniquely soothing about the birds.
“They’re the most marvelous animals,” he said. “They’re so friendly, and it’s so calming to collect eggs.”
And for chickens that once needed rescuing, Simpson said there may be no better place to start over.
“With rescued hens, there’s something really lovely about giving them a second chance,” he said, “and what better home than at Highgrove?”
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