Sandringham Estate, owned by King Charles, is facing a large-scale rat infestation affecting around 300 rented homes. The sovereign’s Norfolk estate, which spans more than 8,000 acres, is home to about 500 people. The rodents are troubling more than just residents: there have also been complaints about impacts on nearby farmland and on available food supplies. Rats and mice are likely being drawn to the area by the abundance of food in the surrounding cultivated fields.

An obvious solution might be to use cats to control the rats. However, felines are not permitted on the estate, as Queen Elizabeth II had banned them there, believing they would threaten local wildlife, including game birds. The ban may also have been influenced by her own allergies, since the late sovereign was allergic to cats.

This is not the first royal property to suffer infestation problems. After being evicted from Royal Lodge, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor moved to Marsh Farm in Wolferton earlier this year and encountered a mole invasion. The property sustained significant ground damage after dozens of molehills appeared on the lawn. Following reports, a van from Command Pest Control, a company specializing in mole and pest removal, was seen leaving the estate.