Spring gala season drew high-profile guests to New York City for the King’s Trust Global Gala on Wednesday, with the evening designed as a black-tie fundraiser that drew both celebrated artists and fashion leaders. The guest list included Lionel Richie and Anna Wintour, among others, but the biggest attention centered on a different kind of arrival: King Charles III made his first appearance at the five-year history of the event.
Organizers said the monarch’s appearance helped spark excitement that carried into the fundraising results. In a report from the gala, organizers said the event produced a record total exceeding $3 million. The figure reflected hopes that Charles and Queen Camilla could raise more as the nonprofit works to establish an endowment in the United Kingdom and strengthen relationships across more than two dozen countries.
Charles’ appearance came while he was on the first visit to the United States since his coronation, a four-day trip tied to the 250th anniversary of American independence from Britain. At the event, he made brief remarks before guests sat for dinner, and he used the moment to talk about beneficiaries of the charity who return to help younger people like themselves.
“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, said to the Associated Press. Charlotte Tilbury, the British cosmetics entrepreneur, also spoke on the red carpet to Martha Stewart, asking her to tell Charles that she was wearing “royal blue just for you.”
The gala’s co-chair Edward Enninful, who previously served as editor-in-chief of British Vogue, described the work of the King’s Trust as something he has seen in West London. He told the Associated Press that his family members had been able to make something of their lives despite being classed by society as “not worthy,” and he characterized Charles’ appearance as the nonprofit’s “glory moment.”
“He’s set the example that philanthropy matters,” Enninful told the Associated Press. “No matter how well you are doing, you’re not doing enough unless you’re passing it on to a newer generation.” The event was more intimate than in previous years, with about 160 guests, and it did not include musical performances. Lionel Richie informed guests he would not be singing, which drew a joke from Charles that the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer “must gargle with port.”
Other attendees included supermodels Karlie Kloss and Iman and actors Leo Woodall and Meghann Fahy, along with designers Donatella Versace and Stella McCartney. Stewart, reflecting on her own path, said she paid for her “fine education” through scholarships and argued that while her jobs were “excellent,” “there’s a big challenge in getting a good job, a big challenge in getting a good education,” adding, “And we’re here to help those people.”