Highgrove by Truefitt & Hill: a collection review

Highgrove. Where a prince became a gardener

The name of the Highgrove collection (Highgrove) comes from the name of a private residence belonging to the British royal family. The estate is located in Gloucestershire, near the town of Tetbury, in southwest England. Since 1980, the estate has belonged to Prince Charles (now King Charles III), who bought it as a family country home and a center for sustainable farming — at first experimental, and now already scientific and respected.

Old photos of Charles and Diana show that the three-storey house looked very simple from the start for such a prestigious property: the rectangular building was built in the late 18th century from dressed stone, with a neoclassical façade. Highgrove was never a luxurious palace, and Charles chose it as a refuge from public life, where he could rest away from prying eyes. The estate came to him after a recent fire and looked unremarkable, but the prince was fascinated by the remains of a small park and a few trees — like a blank canvas, they became the basis for his creativity and experiments. The park still has several majestic old oaks, an overgrown 18th-century kitchen garden, and a huge old Lebanese cedar.

The gardens at Highgrove are now considered among the most beautiful in the UK. They have become a quiet ode to English soil and to the harmony between people and nature.

Highgrove: a model of sustainable agriculture

Over the past 45 years, the estate has flourished and become a model of organic farming and attentive gardening. Its gardens live to a natural rhythm: in spring, the scent of daffodils reigns here; in summer, in the «wild garden," bees swarm over flowers planted to echo the meadow landscapes of pre-industrial Britain; in the evenings, jasmine and lavender wrap the air in the «fragrant garden.»

No chemicals are used at Highgrove, and there is no chase for perfect symmetry. Everything follows the natural course of things: birds, insects, rain, and sun together create a corner of wild nature under human care and attention. Even the grass is cut unevenly — not out of carelessness, but to leave shelter for insects and mice.

Using Highgrove as an example, scientists and agronomists study the possibilities and limits of sustainable farming methods. Only renewable energy sources are used throughout the estate, all waste is recycled, and rainwater is collected for irrigation. On the estate, 26 km of hedges and thousands of trees provide a habitat for plants and animals. Traditional British flora, including endangered plant species, are preserved at Highgrove like in a nature reserve.

The farm is open to visitors, and the regular Summer School brings together farmers, entrepreneurs, scientists, and officials to discuss and solve the challenges of sustainable food production.

Everything grown and made at Highgrove is sold in the shop right there on the estate. Every year, 200 kg of wild apples from 70 varieties of traditional British apple trees go into the preserve sold in the Highgrove shop. Souvenirs, organic products, gifts, tea, cosmetics, perfumes, tableware, and textiles — everything is made with an emphasis on sustainability and English craft traditions. Income from visits and the shop goes to charity and to the development of sustainable farming.

For aristocrats: Highgrove by Truefitt & Hill

In collaboration with the estate, respected and reputable British brands release collections, for example clothing from Burberry and gentlemen’s grooming products from Truefitt & Hill. The shaving collection, released by the oldest men’s brand in cooperation with the royal gardens, includes the usual set of products: solid soap and shaving cream, aftershave balm and an aftershave splash, as well as pre-shave oil.

The main difference of the Highgrove collection is its fragrance pyramid. It belongs to the aromatic fougère family: fresh, green, with a light coolness and an elegant woody base. It starts bright and refreshing, moves into a soothing green-resinous middle, and finishes with a deep woody-earthy base.

• Top notes: lemon brings freshness and a bright citrus opening; cypress adds a green, coniferous character, invigorates, and makes the fragrance more refined.
• Heart notes: lavender brings calm, a light floral touch, and softness; carrot seed adds an earthy, slightly sweet nuance, highlighting the vegetal character; copaiba provides a warm, resinous depth that softens the fluffiness of lavender.
• Base notes: papyrus adds a light woody and dusty green tone; vetiver provides earthiness, stability, and a light haze; cedarwood creates a warm woody base and enhances the longevity of the composition.

At the core of each product is the same set of ingredients as in older Truefitt & Hill collections, but all the products differ in packaging — something completely new for the brand. Each product’s packaging is decorated with a watercolor by Prince Charles, painted before his coronation, when he often spent time at the estate. The painting shows that same old Lebanese cedar that fascinated Charles and influenced his choice — it was mentioned at the beginning of the article.

The biggest difference in format and formula applies to the aftershave splash: unlike all previous collections, this is not just a fragrance product, but an aftershave that is intended to be applied directly by hand to the skin after shaving, like a regular lotion.

There are also changes in the composition of the pre-shave oil. Before the Highgrove collection, pre-shave oil was produced only once, outside the collections. Higrove oil differs from its predecessor by the complete absence of silicone — because of this, it has a lighter texture, feels more weightless on the skin, and absorbs faster.

The rest of the collection’s products — shaving soaps and creams — do not have any significant differences in their formulas; in terms of feel and effect on the skin, they are similar to their predecessors. The difference lies in the scent, packaging, and mood.

You can buy the royal collection either in the Highgrove shop, or from official Truefitt & Hill resellers — for example, at Nebrito.