Latest news with #KingFoundation
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Kate Winslet accepts significant role from the King despite saying she'd be 'disgusted and upset' to come from royalty
Kate Winslet has said that she's 'thrilled' to be taking on a new role closer to Royal Family - after saying she'd be 'disgusted' if she had come from royalty. The Oscar award-winning actress, 49, originally from Reading, who once said her 'socialist' parents 'frowned upon the wealthy', was recently announced as the latest ambassador for The King's Foundation. The educational charity, established in 1990 by King Charles, 76, said it was 'excited' to welcome The Holiday star onboard its team, along with a video of Winslet. She said: 'I am so thrilled to become an ambassador for the King's Foundation, particularly as the charity celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. 'The King's Foundation does such fantastic work to prioritise and protect nature and our wonderful planet, in particular, championing field to fork farming as well as young people outdoors and learning about our beautiful countryside and how we can all play a part in protecting its future. 'All things that are deeply important to me and to so many of us and it's been fascinating learning about what the Foundation does over these past few months, and I am really looking forward to collaborating with the other ambassadors so we can discuss ways in which we can collectively make a positive difference.' The charity also posted about Winslet on their website and included a quote of her saying how one of her 'passions' is 'exploring ways that we can protect and promote the natural world.' She added: '[It's] something I have in common with His Majesty!' However, in a 2019 interview with Radio Times, Winslet revealed that she would have been 'upset and disgusted ' if she had come from 'wealth or royalty'. She added: 'There was never any money in our family, but I always felt very fortunate because I came from a lovely, wonderful, loving family. 'My roots are socialist, working class and, in a funny way, my parents frowned upon the wealthy.' It seems her views on royalty might have since changed because, in addition to accepting the new position, the actress joined King Charles at the charity's awards ceremony in St James's Palace a fortnight ago, where she told him: 'Don't worry, I'll be all in – I've got your back.' Earlier this month, the Hollywood star was snapped as she warmly shook the King 's hand during a reception for the foundation at St James's Palace in London. The annual ceremony, which celebrated the 35th Anniversary of The King's Foundation, was an opportunity to celebrate alumni, students, and ambassadors of the monarch's charity. The event, attended by 200 guests, celebrated 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. Winslet joined other famous guests including Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, chef Raymond Blanc and Alan Titchmarsh. Former footballer David Beckham, who became an ambassador for the King's Foundation in 2024, was also present and appeared to be in his element as he put on an animated display with American actress Meryl. Meanwhile, Charles proved to be the perfect host and had the famous faces in fits of giggles. The foundation revealed that, to date, it has trained more than 115,000 students in traditional crafts and environmental education over its 35-year tenure, welcomed more than 2.5million visitors to its UK destinations, and positively affected more than 500,000 lives through sustainable urban planning. King's Foundation ambassador Penny Lancaster praised the monarch for his vision for creating the awards and highlighting the needs of the planet throughout his adult life. 'We all know that the King has been the forefront and sort of marching us all along for more than 50 years, he's been an absolute pioneer and visionary in that sense,' she said. 'These awards and indeed the foundation is so important because of the role they have in not only protecting these traditional crafts and the environment but also giving the winners such an incredible platform to go and achieve great things. 'The King may have been accused of hugging trees and people thinking he was mad when he started talking about the environment all that time ago, but he was at the forefront then and now has been proved right with everything he said and now we're all just trying to play catch up. 'I really recognise the beauty in the way he is trying to get us on board with his knowledge and if we can pass that on to the younger generation, and save some of the traditional skills like we've seen with these winners today, we can all be a part of making a difference. 'I think the mistake is when we say, well, there's such a huge job ahead of us that we could give up, but where's the hope about and confidence that we can pull together to not make it such a mammoth task, there is real hope for the future.'
Telegraph
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Kate Winslet becomes King's Foundation ambassador
Kate Winslet has joined The King's Foundation after telling the monarch she has 'got his back'. The Academy Award-winning actress, 49, is joining the charity as an ambassador, following in the footsteps of Sir David Beckham, Sienna Miller and Sir Rod Stewart. It comes after she joined the King, 76, at the foundation's awards ceremony in St James's Palace a fortnight ago, where she told him: 'Don't worry, I'll be all in – I've got your back.' The Titanic star said she was thrilled following the announcement of her new ambassadorial role and noted her and Charles's shared passion for protecting the environment. Winslet said: 'One of my passions is exploring ways that we can protect and promote the natural world – something I have in common with His Majesty.' In a video marking the news, the British actress added that the foundation's work protecting the planet and encouraging young people to learn about the 'beautiful' countryside was 'deeply important' to her. She said she was looking forward to collaborating with the other ambassadors on ways to make a difference through the charity's work. 'I am so thrilled to become an ambassador for The King's Foundation, particularly as the charity celebrates its 35th anniversary this year,' Winslet said. She added: 'The King's Foundation does such fantastic work to prioritise and protect nature and our wonderful planet, in particular championing field to fork farming, as well as getting young people outdoors and learning about our beautiful countryside and how we can all play a part in protecting its future, all things that are deeply important to me and to so many of us. 'And it's been fascinating learning about what the foundation does over these past few months, and I am really looking forward to collaborating with the other ambassadors so we can discuss ways in which we can collectively make a positive difference.' She joins fellow ambassadors Alan Titchmarsh, presenter Jay Blades, TV property expert Sarah Beeny and rugby player Maro Itoje, among others. The ambassadors are expected to use their expertise and reach to support the King's charity's mission in its vision and strategy. The King's Foundation works to support people and the planet through a sustainable and holistic approach, including education courses in preserving endangered traditional skills – such as millinery, embroidery and woodworking – and helping to revitalise communities through urban regeneration and planning. Kristina Murrin, the charity's chief executive, said: 'It has been fantastic to get to know Kate and we are thrilled she was able to spend time with our students, alumni and Royal Founding President at The King's Foundation Awards earlier this month. 'We look forward to working with Kate to promote our work over many years to come.' The charity, previously known as The Prince's Foundation, was founded by Charles in 1990 and aims to 'advocate for the change His Majesty wants to see in the world'.
Daily Mail
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Charles' VERY celeb-filled ceremony: Royal rubs shoulders with Meryl Streep, David Beckham and Kate Winslet as the stars turn out for the King's Foundation Awards in London
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 charity. 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. 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.
Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Beckham teams up with King and Queen at Chelsea Flower Show
The King and Queen joined forces with David Beckham at the Chelsea Flower Show before the launch of a joint initiative to encourage more young people to work in horticulture. Beckham, who was last year named an ambassador of the King's Foundation, met the King and Queen at the Highgrove stand in the world-famous event in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The former England footballer, who previously swapped bee-keeping tips with the King, is backing the foundation's new campaign. The project, to be launched later this year, is designed to inspire young people to take up careers in horticulture. It will also be backed by Alan Titchmarsh, the TV presenter and King's Foundation ambassador who joined Beckham and the King at RHS Chelsea. The King carried a traditional country fair walking stick. He 'loves' such crooks and has collections of them at all his residences, a source said. On display at the Highgrove shop stand was the King's Rose, a new pink-and-white bloom named in the monarch's honour. The flower was created by David Austin Roses in collaboration with the King's Foundation, and has been carefully nurtured by the King's gardeners at Highgrove for the last three years. The King was due to pull back a curtain to officially open the shop and reveal the roses, proudly displayed in a Highgrove wicker basket. For every rose sold, £2.50 will be donated to the foundation. The name was inspired by David Austin's first encounter with the King, then Prince of Wales, at Chelsea in the 1990s, when they discovered that they had both grown the similarly-striped Ferdinand Pichard as the first rose in their garden. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester also toured RHS Chelsea on Monday evening, as did Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Among the gardens on the King's tour was the Hospice UK: Garden of Compassion, which draws on the spirit of Mediterranean landscapes to show thoughtfully designed spaces can help provide comfort and calm at the end of life. The King was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer last year and continues to receive weekly treatment. Beckham has become increasingly close to the royals since becoming an ambassador for the King's Foundation. In December, both David and his fashion designer wife Victoria joined the King and Queen at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, held in honour of the Qatari ruler. In February, the couple were among the King's guests at a black tie dinner at Highgrove to celebrate Anglo-Italian relations and the following month, Victoria Beckham was invited to Buckingham Palace for a Women of the World event hosted by the Queen. Beckham is also on friendly terms with the Prince of Wales, whom he joined last October to celebrate the replacement of London's ageing air ambulance helicopters. His latest appearance alongside the King coincides with a seemingly bitter family feud which has seen Beckham's elder son, Brooklyn, increasingly estranged from his parents and siblings. A source close to Brooklyn, 26, told the Telegraph last week that he and his wife, Nicola Peltz-Beckham, the daughter of Nelson Peltz, the US billionaire, feel that they have no meaningful private connection with the family and that he has been made to feel like an 'idiot' and 'stupid'. The younger Beckhams were recent guests at a Montecito party attended by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, where Peltz, 30, and Meghan were said to have found 'common ground' over being cast as meddling American wives breaking up Britain's most famous families. The source told The Telegraph the young couple had 'found Harry and Meghan to be particularly kind, caring and generous' at the gathering, hosted by Brian Robbins, a neighbour of the Sussexes in Montecito and the chief executive of Paramount, the media company. The encounter drew comparisons between both family rifts, with the Sussexes still similarly estranged from the rest of the Royal family. Monty Don's dog-themed garden Meanwhile, the King and Queen viewed several gardens at RHS Chelsea, including the RHS and BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden, designed by Monty Don. The garden, designed with dogs in mind, features grass areas for dogs to enjoy and a large tree providing shade. The brick paths are inscribed with the names of dogs belonging to Radio 2 presenters and RHS ambassadors, as well as Bluebell, the Queen's Jack Russell Terrier, Moley, her new puppy, and Snuff, the King's dog. The garden will be transplanted to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, of which the Queen is patron, when the flower show ends. The King also visited the King's Trust Garden, inspired by the potential of the more than one million young people supported by the charity since it was founded in 1976. The garden showcases the ability of seeds to adapt and flourish in hostile environments, drawing parallels with the resilience of young people who can overcome adversity and thrive when given the right support. Another stop on the royal tour was the Wildlife Trust's British Rainforest Garden, designed to evoke the wild and wet woodlands that once swathed the British west coast. Beckham also visited the London Square Chelsea Pensioners Garden, designed by Dave Green, an accessible and secluded space to be based at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, home to the famous Chelsea Pensioners.
Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Princess Eugenie to mentor King's young hopefuls on changing the world
Princess Eugenie is to mentor the King's pick of young creatives he hopes will promote change in the world over decades to come. The Princess, 35, met several of the 35 'changemakers' last week, including milliner Barnaby Horn, painter Jo Rance and knitwear designer Marie Bruhat. It is hoped that Prince Andrew's younger daughter, who is a director at Hauser & Wirth art gallery in Mayfair, will use her experience of the arts world to inspire and elevate their work. The King's Foundation last week announced its list of '35 under 35' who will act as charity ambassadors throughout its 35th anniversary year, flying the flag for the King's beloved heritage crafts and the environment. The group – which includes a composer, an architect, several climate activists and a sustainable florist – joined forces for the first time on Thursday evening at a launch event at the Garrison Chapel, the charity's central London base. Dame Ann Limb, chairman of the board, said the foundation had been 'surprised and overwhelmed' by the hundreds of applications from young people keen to align with the organisation and promote the King's belief that everything in nature is interconnected, including ourselves. 'As a woman in her 73rd year, I'd like to think this is the generation that will carry this on,' she said of their work. 'And the King will want that. 'What struck me was the diversity of skills and talents, and the scale of their ambition, which was quite breathtaking in its boldness.' 'A timely project' The King's Foundation was founded as the Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture by the then Prince Charles in 1990. Six years earlier, the heir to the throne had famously described a proposed extension to the National Gallery extension as a 'monstrous carbuncle', prompting the design to be swiftly scrapped. Dame Ann suggested that the '35 under 35' scheme was a timely project that brought the King full circle. 'This has come at the right moment because in 1990, the Institute of Architecture was founded by a younger prince who had a moan about architecture at the National Gallery,' she said. 'Well, he, as the King now, and the Queen, have just been back to reopen that new extension of the National Gallery. And so times move on. And I think this has caught the mood for the next 35 years, because traditional skills, their reinvention and application is very much more in demand now than it was.' Laura Young, a climate scientist, said it was 'heartwarming' and 'encouraging' to know that climate change was part of the King's personal ethos. 'He doesn't just turn up to events, he really embeds in his own work,' she said. 'The recognition that there is a young generation full of ideas is the most exciting thing about this programme. 'It's lovely to look around the room and see fashion designers, florists, joiners, people who are doing sustainability in their own sphere being inspired by this initiative. And it's also great to connect, because it's the collaboration that makes the most impact. 'Tonight is the origin of something and it will be what we make of it. Just the name, the King's Foundation gives credibility, and unfortunately in today's world, you need a bit of that. It also opens doors.' Kristina Murrin, chief executive of the foundation, said that many of the courses run by the foundation were born out of a need to maintain skills that had all but disappeared, which in turn had inspired the search for 'the most exciting, the most energetic, the most inspiring' young people who would keep those skills alive. She said she hoped the scheme would create 'lifelong friendships and collaborations' as well as providing connections and guidance from a team of mentors, including Princess Eugenie, about how to grow a business. Mr Horn said it would be invaluable to have a member of the Royal family on board who had an interest in both fashion and the art world. 'My work crosses over between art and fashion so Princess Eugenie is a perfect mentor,' he said. Composer Jack Pepper said: 'What I stand for as a musician, as a creative, is breaking down barriers, and that's what then attracted me to the foundation 'Equally, that's what the environmental philosophy of the King is about – how can people come together and work together - harmony being the principle underlying all that they do.'
