Rats! Uninvited guests invade Prince Charles’ garden

LONDON — Prince Charles has opened the gardens at his official London residence to the public for the first time to host a sustainable living fair, but uninvited guests have already created a nuisance.

"The rats have become more of a problem," a source at Clarence House told The Sun newspaper. "There seem to be more — and they are getting bigger."

The 12-day Garden Party to Make a Difference kicked off last week, with the aim of showcasing the royals' green lifestyle efforts, while providing space for more than 100 exhibitors and celebrities to share their expertise on everything from green architecture to bee-friendly gardening, Britain's Daily Telegraph reported.

But the rats seem to have upset the eco world order.

"We've lost strawberries and our tomatoes got nibbled overnight," one stallholder grumbled to The Sun.  "It's all down to the rats."

The fair at Clarence House is part of the Prince of Wales' larger initiative to promote green living.  Prince Charles has long been involved in sustainable efforts and the promotion of organic farming and ecological conservation.

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But staff are struggling to find a solution that's both effective and environmentally friendly.

"Because we're organic we can't get rid of them by using too many rat killers," the Clarence House source told The Sun.

Located in central London, Clarence House is the official residence of Prince Charles, his wife Camilla and Princes William and Harry.