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Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Lifestyle
Amy Mackelden

Why King Charles Is Receiving Complaints About Rats, Overflowing Trash, and Awful Odors

King Charles looks sad while attending The Braemar Gathering in Scotland on September 2, 2023.

King Charles has a lot of responsibilities as the British monarch, some of which may be unexpected. One of the most surprising problems the King is reportedly dealing with relates to the so-called "ideal" town of Poundbury.

Charles was actually responsible for the creation of Poundbury in Dorset, which was based upon "the principles of architecture and urban planning" detailed in the King's book, A Vision of Britain. The town was built on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, which was originally owned and operated by Charles and passed over to Prince William after the Queen's death.

Unfortunately, residents of the town have become dissatisfied with problems that have recently arisen in Poundbury.

"There are rats everywhere and the smell is awful," one resident told The Telegraph. "No-one seems to be bothered."

For some reason, one area of the town has caused extra concern as people's trash cans apparently aren't being collected on a regular basis, leading to overflowing rubbish.

King Charles visits Poundbury on February 16, 2005. (Image credit: ROTA/Getty Images)

According to the Daily Mail, there may be some confusion as to who is meant to empty trash cans at a particular property, adding to the chaos.

One resident said of the trash issue, "I wish they weren't in a bad state—I don't even know how often they get collected."

Another resident suggested that people were upset with the overall state of Poundbury, saying, "It reflects badly on us, and it's not nice to be living around this. It is an eyesore as no-one wants to come here and see rubbish."

An older resident of Poundbury told The Telegraph, "The King would be horrified ... it's like this every week."

One local told the publication, "There are rats about—it's a disgrace."

A spokesperson of the Duchy of Cornwall responded to the complaints, saying in a statement, "The Duchy of Cornwall worked closely with Dorset Council to ensure appropriate measures for refuse management are available to residents through the design of Poundbury." They continued, "We continue to encourage the local authority, residents and housing providers to work together so collection issues can be resolved efficiently."

Hopefully, Poundbury's problems can be rectified quickly so that King Charles' "ideal" town can be restored to its intended glory.

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