The sprawling 20,000-acre Norfolk estate, where the monarch traditionally spends Christmas, is home to around 500 residents living in approximately 300 rental properties. According to reports, many of those homes have been affected by a growing vermin problem.
The issue was reportedly discussed during a recent parish council meeting after a local tenant raised concerns about the number of rats on the estate. Estate manager Rob Timmins, who attended the meeting, is said to have told residents that dealing with pests inside their properties was their responsibility rather than the landlord’s.
The reported infestation has also sparked concerns beyond the estate’s homes, with complaints focusing on the impact rats could have on surrounding farmland and local food supplies. The abundance of crops in nearby fields is believed to be attracting both rats and mice to the area.
Despite concerns raised during the meeting, the estate reportedly maintained that no formal complaints had been submitted.
The timing of the reports is particularly awkward as Sandringham prepares to welcome thousands of visitors for the annual Sandringham Flower Show, one of Norfolk’s largest horticultural events. The popular summer show attracts exhibitors, gardeners and members of the public to the royal estate each year.
One potential solution is reportedly off the table. Cats are not permitted to live on the estate, a rule introduced by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The monarch is believed to have banned cats from Sandringham to protect local wildlife, particularly game birds, and was also reportedly allergic to them.
The latest pest problem is not the first to affect royal property this year. Earlier in 2026, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s home at Marsh Farm, near Sandringham, reportedly suffered a mole infestation that left the grounds covered in molehills.
A specialist pest control company was later seen visiting the property after burrowing animals damaged lawns and underground root systems.
With the Sandringham Flower Show just around the corner, attention will now turn to whether the reported rat problem can be brought under control before crowds descend on the King’s Norfolk estate.