Highgrove by Truefitt & Hill: a review of the collection

Highgrove. Where a prince became a gardener

The name of the Highgrove collection (Khaigrov) is 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 acquired it as a family country home and a center for sustainable land management — at first experimental, and now scientific and authoritative.

Old photos of Charles and Diana show that the three-story house looked as plain as possible from the start for such a distinguished property: the rectangular building, constructed in the late 18th century from dressed stone, has a neoclassical facade. 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 unpresentable, but the prince was captivated by the remains of a small park and a few trees — like a blank canvas, they became the basis for his creativity and experiments. In the park, several magnificent old oaks have survived, an overgrown 18th-century kitchen garden, and a huge old Lebanese cedar.

Today, the gardens of Highgrove are considered among the most beautiful in Great Britain. They have become a quiet ode to the English land 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 thoughtful gardening. Its gardens live by a natural rhythm: in spring, the scent of daffodils reigns here; in summer, in the «wild garden», bees swarm over flowers planted to resemble the meadow landscapes of pre-industrial Britain; in the evenings, in the «scent garden», jasmine and lavender wrap the air.

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 from neglect, but to leave shelter for insects and mice.

Using Highgrove as an example, scientists and agronomists study the possibilities and limitations 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 problems of sustainable food production.

Everything grown and made at Highgrove is sold in the shop right on site. Every year, 200 kg of wild apples from 70 varieties of traditional British apple trees are used to make jam for the Highgrove shop. Souvenirs, organic products, gifts, tea, cosmetics, perfumes, tableware, and textiles — all are made with an emphasis on sustainability and English craft traditions. Revenue from visits and the shop goes to charity and to the development of sustainable agriculture.

For aristocrats: Highgrove by Truefitt & Hill

In collaboration with the estate, authoritative and respected 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 collaboration with the royal gardens, includes the familiar set of products: hard soap and shaving cream, aftershave balm and an aftershave splash, as well as pre-shave oil.

The main difference of the Highgrove collection is the fragrance pyramid. It belongs to the aromatic fougère family: fresh, green, with a light coolness and an elegant woody base. It opens brightly and refreshingly, moves into a calming green-resinous heart, 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 air, and softness; carrot seed adds an earthy, slightly sweet nuance, emphasizing the vegetal profile; copaiba provides a warm, resinous depth that softens the fluffiness of lavender.
• Base notes: papyrus adds a light woody and dusty green tone; vetiver is responsible for 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 — completely new for the brand. Each product package is decorated with a watercolor by Prince Charles, painted before his coronation, when he often spent time at the estate. The drawing depicts that very old Lebanese cedar that fascinated Charles and influenced his choice — it was mentioned at the beginning of the article.

The biggest change in form and formula concerns the aftershave splash: unlike all previous collections, this is not just a fragrance product, but an aftershave meant to be applied directly to the skin with your hands after shaving, like a regular lotion.

There are changes in the pre-shave oil as well. Before the Highgrove collection, pre-shave oil was produced only one, outside the collections. Higrove oil differs from its predecessor by the complete absence of silicone — as a result, its texture is lighter, it feels more weightless on the skin, and it absorbs faster.

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

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