The National Trust's director-general has expressed "regret" over the charity's entanglement in Britain's culture wars after years of criticism that the organisation has become excessively "woke".
Speaking to Times Radio, Hilary McGrady said: "Do I regret getting embroiled in culture wars? Yes, I never wanted to be part of the culture wars. I didn't set out to try to provoke or annoy people about this."
However, the trust's leader has remained unapologetic about pursuing "inclusivity".
"Do I regret wanting to be an organisation that is genuinely for everyone, that people, anyone that can come to our property can see themselves at our places? No, I don't regret that at all," she said.
Her remarks come six years after the publication of a contentious 2020 report that examined the connections between slavery and 93 National Trust properties.
Among those featured was Chartwell, the Kent estate that served as Winston Churchill's family residence.
The document sparked fierce backlash from critics who argued the charity was disparaging Britain's heritage.
Some accused the organisation of promoting "cultural Marxism" through its examination of the nation's colonial past.
The National Trust has been accused of promoting 'cultural Marxism'
| GETTYThe controversy proved a watershed moment for the trust, transforming what its leadership intended as historical transparency into a lightning rod for broader debates about how Britain should reckon with its imperial legacy.
The fallout from the report prompted the formation of Restore Trust, a breakaway faction comprising members who objected to what they perceived as the spread of "modish, divisive ideologies" within the charity.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has lent her support to the splinter group, accusing the National Trust of deploying "anti-white" rhetoric after it substituted "ethnic minority" with "global majority".
However, the charity has faced significant backlash after being accused of implementing a range of “woke” policies at its sites.
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Hilary McGrady has remained unapologetic about pursuing 'inclusivity'
|PA
The National Trust has come under fire over volunteers donning LGBT lanyards, the prohibition of trail hunting across trust land, and the introduction of bean bags, disco balls and distributing vegan tampons in male toilets.
The decision against reconstructing Clandon House, a Palladian mansion in Surrey destroyed by fire in 2015, has also drawn criticism.
However, Ms McGrady indicated she remains open to hearing concerns from members of the public.
"I want to listen to their points of view. We're not always going to agree, but the trust is genuinely trying to be here for everyone, and their views are just as important as anyone else," she said.
The decision against reconstructing Clandon House, destroyed by a fire in 2015, has also drawn criticism
|GETTY
She acknowledged the inherent difficulty of satisfying the charity's vast membership, which boasts more than 5.3 million people.
The director-general also revealed she received death threats following the slavery report's publication.
She said: “I’m from Northern Ireland so most of the time I have perspective, I think: ‘Seriously you’re getting so worked up about this stuff you think this warrants a death threat?'
"It’s completely bizarre," Ms McGrady added.
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