King Charles’ charity celebrates new name, US expansion at gala
NEW YORK — The King’s Trust celebrated its new name, an update of King Charles III’s long-running charity The Prince’s Trust, and the expansion of its work in the United States with a star-studded gala in New York City on Thursday night.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the trust will continue to help young people around the world to build those key skills to support them into employment,” Charles said in a statement read to the audience, offering his regrets for being unable to attend the event, which was the first organized under the charity’s new name. “Together, we can build a better future for the next generation.”
Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and gala co-chair Lionel Richie, who has worked with the charity for more than three decades, said Charles was doing well and had wanted to attend. Charles returned to public duties Tuesday, following the announcement in February that he had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing treatment.
“I told him, ‘Stand still. Just recover,’” Richie said. “We’ve got many more of these galas to do in the future.”
The Prince’s Trust was founded in 1976 when thenPrince Charles used his severance pay from the Royal Navy to launch the nonprofit dedicated to helping unemployed young people in the United Kingdom get trained for jobs. Since then, the charity has expanded its education and employment initiatives into 25 countries.
Richie said he and other famous supporters in attendance would work to represent the charity in Charles’ absence. They included singers Sam Smith and John Legend, who performed to close the evening, and supermodels Kate Moss, Emily Ratajkowski and Ashley Graham. Actor Dominic West, who played Charles in later seasons of “The Crown,” also was on hand, along with Michaela Jae Rodriguez, who currently plays the head of a charity on the AppleTV+ philanthropy sitcom “Loot.”
Rodriguez said philanthropy is important to her in real life as well as on screen, focusing on supporting climate groups such as The Rainforest Alliance, but also charities supporting young people including The King’s Trust.