King Charles was seen cracking jokes with David Beckham at the King’s Foundation inaugural awards ceremony tonight (Tuesday). The King was all smiles was he celebrated the work of his foundation alongside other celebrity ambassadors including Rod Stewart and Naomi Campbell.
The awards showcased the work of students, teachers, alumni and partners who have contributed to the organisation’s charitable efforts in London. The foundation is the custodian of the Highgrove Gardens and offers workshops, programmes and short courses focused on heritage and craft skills at its Barley Court education centre on the estate.
Charles and Beckham were seen laughing and heard discussing England’s chances in the Euro 2024 championships with the former Manchester United midfielder telling the King: “We’ll be ready. Gareth will be ready.”
The event at St James’s Palace, which is set to become an annual fixture in the King’s Foundation calendar, was attended by celebrity supporters and ambassadors of the charity including broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh, former British Vogue editor Edward Enninful and actress Sienna Miller. Charles presented the final award of the evening, the King Charles III Harmony Award, to South Korean diplomat and former UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon.
During his speech Charles said: “I really am delighted to be here with you all at the inaugural King’s Foundation Awards and to present the first King Charles III Harmony Award. This award was created to recognise the individuals who champion the values which underpin the King’s Foundation’s mission and my own hope for a world in which we live in harmony with nature.”
He continued to pay tribute to the diplomat for his “tireless dedication” to promoting those values internationally. Alongside its education programmes to protect traditional skills, the foundation, based at Dumfries House in East Ayrshire, aims to revitalise communities through urban regeneration and planning, and support sustainable food production and teach rural skills.