King Charles III made a fleeting but impactful appearance at The King’s Trust Global Gala on Wednesday, delivering a three-and-a-half-minute speech at Christie’s auction house in New York City, where the charity reported a record fundraising haul exceeding $3 million. The event, the fifth annual gala for the trust, was the monarch’s first time attending and drew a high-profile crowd including Lionel Richie, Martha Stewart, and Anna Wintour.
The king’s presence, alongside Queen Camilla, was part of his first U.S. visit since his coronation — a four-day trip intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence and strengthen the often-frayed relationship between the two nations. According to the Associated Press, some attendees lined up along velvet ropes and craned their necks for a glimpse of the royal couple.
“I think the fact that he’s here is going to strengthen the presence of the foundation so much more,” Natasha Poonawalla, executive director of the Serum Institute of India, told the AP. Charlotte Tilbury, the British cosmetics entrepreneur, asked Martha Stewart to tell Charles that she wore “royal blue just for you.”
The King’s Trust, formerly known as The Prince’s Trust, has reached 1.5 million people worldwide over the past 50 years with education and employment programs aimed at helping disadvantaged young people find work. In brief remarks before dinner, Charles noted that many beneficiaries return to support others like themselves, adding jokingly, “Only now do quite a lot of them actually admit they were started (here).”
Edward Enninful, the former editor-in-chief of British Vogue and a gala co-chair, described Charles’s attendance as the nonprofit’s “glory moment.” He said the king “set the example that philanthropy matters,” and that “no matter how well you are doing, you’re not doing enough unless you’re passing it on to a newer generation.”
The gala was more intimate than in previous years, with about 160 guests and no musical performances. Richie, who informed attendees that he would not sing, prompted Charles to joke that the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer “must gargle with port.” Other notable attendees included supermodels Karlie Kloss and Iman, actors Leo Woodall and Meghann Fahy, and designers Donatella Versace and Stella McCartney.
Martha Stewart, who built a multimillion-dollar media empire, recalled her own good fortune and the importance of helping young people navigate today’s challenges. “I know today there’s a big challenge in getting a good job, a big challenge in getting a good education,” she said. “And we’re here to help those people.”
The trust aims to use the record proceeds to establish an endowment and expand its work in the United Kingdom and more than two dozen other countries. Organizers hope the king’s direct involvement will accelerate those efforts.