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Animal rights trio who 'made friends' with King Charles's lambs before taking them wanted to 'open his eyes'

From the Newshound archive · first published 23 September 2026 · last updated 24 September 2026.

Sheep like those taken from King Charles's Sandringham estate, which Rosa Sharkey told Norwich Crown Court she stole to expose what she called the hidden reality of sheep farming.
Sheep like those taken from King Charles's Sandringham estate, which Rosa Sharkey told Norwich Crown Court she stole to expose what she called the hidden reality of sheep farming.
Rosa Sharkey, 26, who grew up surrounded by Cumbrian sheep farms and told the court she targeted the royal estate partly because sheep are not King Charles's primary source of income.
Rosa Sharkey, 26, who grew up surrounded by Cumbrian sheep farms and told the court she targeted the royal estate partly because sheep are not King Charles's primary source of income.

Rose Sharkey, 26, told Norwich Crown Court she hoped stealing three lambs from the King's Sandringham estate would open Charles's eyes to the realities of sheep farming. Sharkey, Rose Patterson, 37, and Sarah Foy, 26, spent hours sitting in the field letting the animals grow comfortable with them before taking them in a hired van in May 2023. All three deny theft but admit taking the lambs, saying they acted to save them from harm.

Sharkey said she grew up in a sheep farming community and the group chose Sandringham precisely because they did not want to 'vilify' ordinary farmers.

The group rented an Airbnb, hired a van and returned a week after a reconnaissance visit where they had spotted an injured sheep and a near-empty water trough.

A lamb they named Sooty was the first to approach; Sharkey told the jury it 'nestled into my side, nibbled my finger' and made no attempt to bolt from the van.

MoreThe TelegraphWe wanted to open King’s eyes to realities of sheep farming, says alleged lamb thiefBBC News - EnglandSandringham theft-accused trio 'made friends' with King's Norfolk lambsThe SunActivist who took three lambs from Sandringham wanted King to ‘open his eyes’ to reality of sheep farmingThe IndependentActivists in court for taking lambs from King’s Sandringham estate - The IndependentThe IndependentWoman tells court why she took lambs from King’s Sandringham estate
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