British royalty met showbiz royalty on Thursday as the King rubbed shoulders with celebrities like Meryl Streep and David Beckham at the King’s Foundation Awards ceremony.
Charles, 76, appeared in excellent spirits as he welcomed stars including Kate Winslet, Stanley Tucci and Sir Rod Stewart’s wife Penny Lancaster to St James’s Palace.
French chef Raymond Blanc and English gardener and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh were also among the excited guests.
Proving to be the perfect host, Charles had American actress Meryl, 75, Titanic star Kate, 49, and footballing legend David, who is tipped for a knighthood in the King’s birthday honours list, in fits of giggles as he chatted to the stars in attendance.
The annual ceremony – which is celebrating the 35th Anniversary of The King’s Foundation this year – is an opportunity to celebrate alumni, students, and ambassadors of the monarch’s charity.
Enjoying the special occasion, David, who became an ambassador for the King’s Foundation in 2024, appeared to be in his element as he put on an animated display with A-lister Meryl.
The smartly-dressed pair could be seen sharing a grin and a laugh as they lined up to chat with the King, alongside British actress Kate, who appeared effortlessly elegant in a cream suit.
Attended by 200 guests, the awards celebrates the exemplary work of students, teachers, alumni and partners who have contributed to the Foundation’s work across a range of sectors including sustainability, traditional heritage skills and environmental education.
British royalty met showbiz royalty on Thursday as the King rubbed shoulders with celebrities like Meryl Streep and David Beckham at the King’s Foundation Awards ceremony. Pictured, Penny Lancaster, David Beckham, Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet
Charles (pictured left), 76, appeared in excellent spirits as he welcomed stars including Kate Winslet (pictured right), Stanley Tucci and Sir Rod Stewart ‘s wife Penny Lancaster to St James’s Palace
Meryl Streep and David Beckham react as they attend the King’s Foundation Awards ceremony
There are nine awards categories, culminating in The King presenting The King Charles III Harmony Award, a special award given to an individual to recognise their long-term commitment to the mission of The King’s Foundation to create a world where people, places and the planet can live in harmony.
The event included the premiere of the Harmony Song, composed by Jack Pepper and inspired by His Majesty’s philosophy of Harmony.
Jack is a member of The King’s Foundation 35 under 35 network, which has brought together 35 young people to celebrate the charity’s anniversary and encourage a new generation to engage with The King’s Foundation’s work.
Nominees this year include the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation for Community Partnership of the Year, influencer Alice Loxton for Advocate of the Year, milliner Emily Hurst for Emerging Talent and embroidery graduate Beth Somerville for Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
The King’s Foundation is a charity founded by Charles when he was Prince of Wales in 1990.
The charity offers education courses for almost 15,000 students annually, and health and wellbeing programmes for nearly 2,000 people every year.
David Beckham, actress Meryl Streep and British actress Kate Winslet meet with the King during the King’s Foundation Awards ceremony
The King shakes hands with David Beckham next to Penny Lancaster and Meryl Streep
Raymond Blanc, Alan Titchmarsh and Penny Lancaster share a laugh as they attend the ceremony in London
Meryl Streep, Alan Titchmarsh, David Beckham, Penny Lancaster and Kate Winslet attend the King’s Foundation Awards ceremony
Stanley Tucci attends the King’s Foundation Awards ceremony, on the 35th anniversary of The King’s Foundation, at St James’s Palace
Meryl Streep, David Beckham and Kate Winslet pose for a photo during the annual ceremony
A lot of laughs! The celebrities appeared to be in great spirits as they attended the occasion
It also works on placemaking and regeneration projects in the UK and overseas with the aim of revitalising communities and historic buildings.
The foundation carries out work at educational and cultural hubs in London, based at The King’s Foundation School for Traditional Arts in Shoreditch, Trinity Buoy Wharf on the River Thames and the Garrison Chapel in Chelsea.
In addition to its UK presence, the foundation delivers programmes and projects in more than a dozen sites abroad.
In November 2023, Buckingham Palace announced that the King’s long-standing charities had been rebranded in recognition of his accession to the throne.
As the Prince of Wales, Charles set up the youth charity the Prince’s Trust; the Prince’s Foundation and the grant-giving Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund (PWCF).
But 14 months after he became monarch and a week ahead of his 75th birthday, the palace announced the organisations’ names had been updated to become The King’s Trust, The King’s Foundation and King Charles III Charitable Fund.
Charles once spoke of his hope his two sons William and Harry, now the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, would take over the Prince’s Trust, which he set up with his Navy severance pay in 1976.
But William is paving his own way as the new heir to the throne, focusing on homelessness and mental health.
Kate Winslet presents an award during the ceremony, pictured left. Pictured left: David Beckham presents the Emerging Talent Award during the King’s Foundation Awards ceremony
David Beckham presents the Emerging Talent Award during the King’s Foundation Awards ceremony
Harry, amid continued fractures in family relations after his Netflix documentary and autobiography Spare, is living thousands of miles away in the US with his wife Meghan Markle having quit as a working royal.
The switch in name to The King’s Foundation meant the monarch could keep the organisation and the two others firmly under his wing, despite the demands of his role as King.