50 Years of The King's Trust

History

Founded by His Majesty in 1976, The King's Trust is dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged young people in the UK. 

With a backdrop of mass unemployment in the UK, and a feeling young people were being left behind, the then Prince of Wales used his Navy severance pay of £7,600 to establish pilot projects for young people including lifeguard training for young offenders; the conversion of an old cricket pavilion for inspiring musicians and grants for unemployed young people.

In 1990, The Team programme was launched, tapping into young people’s passions – fashion, music, media and sport – to engage them in programmes which would change their lives.

By 2001, The Trust was supporting 25,000 young people each year; a national charity with impressive scale and impact. 

In 2015, King's Trust International was launched to extend the organization's youth education and enterprise programs to countries outside of the UK. Today, King's Trust International operates in 20 countries across the Caribbean, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

Five decades on from inception, The Trust has supported over 1.3 million young people in the UK - and even more across the world - to build a better future for themselves. 

Find out more about The King's Trust here.

Global Gala, New York

As part of Their Majesties' State Visit to the United States, The King and Queen attended the fifth annual King’s Trust Global Gala in New York.

During 'The King’s Trust - Greater Together' Reception at the Global Gala, Their Majesties met with young people from Chicago, New York, Canada, and the United Kingdom to learn about their experiences taking part in The Trust’s programmes and their aspirations for the future.

Their Majesties were also joined by Global Ambassadors of the Trust, including Lionel Richie, Charlotte Tilbury, Edward Enninful, and more. 

'A King's Trust Celebration' at the Royal Albert Hall

The King and Queen attended 'A King's Trust Celebration' at the Royal Albert Hall, a special evening to recognise the 50th anniversary of The King's Trust.

The special event brought together King's Trust ambassadors, alumni, staff and volunteers, to celebrate the work of the charity and the many achievements of the young people it has supported over the last five decades. 

Founded by The King, as Prince of Wales, in 1976, the Trust helps those from disadvantaged communities by supporting them to build the confidence and skills to live, learn and earn.

Upon arrival on the red carpet at the Royal Albert Hall, The King and Queen were greeted by King’s Trust Ambassadors and hosts for the evening, Ant and Dec. 

Their Majesties also met this year’s King’s Trust Award winners, accompanied by their Award presenters, as well as the charity's ambassadors.

At the end of the show, Their Majesties were invited on stage, where The King spoke of his pride of all involved in the Trust's successes over the last five decades.

Since the Trust was founded, it has helped more than a million young people across the UK reach their potential by developing life skills, preparing for employment or accessing job opportunities. 

Garden Party at Buckingham Palace

To celebrate the Trust's milestone, The King hosted volunteers, ambassadors, staff, young people and alumni supported by the organisation at a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.

Amongst familiar faces was Sir Idris Elba, who was supported by The Trust as a teenager and continues to work closely with the charity.

In 2024, The Elba Hope Foundation – founded by Idris and Sabrina Elba – partnered with The King’s Trust on the Creative Futures project to inspire young people through the arts across Manchester. Over the year, the project provided free courses to help young people build the skills and confidence they need to find a job, train or start a business in the creative industries.

During the Garden Party, King's Trust alumni Christian performed a DJ set - with a little help from His Majesty and Sir Idris - whilst guests danced through the downpour. Christian learnt the skill though a Creative Futures course and has continued to DJ.

Youth Summit at Buckingham Palace

At Buckingham Palace, The King was joined by King’s Trust Goodwill Ambassador, Sir Gareth Southgate, young people and youth organisations for a summit to discuss youth opportunities and explore practical solutions to the challenges they face.

The summit formally launched a new initiative by The Trust and Sir Gareth Southgate, focusing on creating a nationwide network of resources for young people, including mentors, coaches and courses, to build the confidence, skills and experience they need to get ready for work.

The Youth Opportunity Summit marked the third consecutive gathering hosted by The King. Previous discussions at St James’s Palace in 2024 and 2025 have brought together young people and sector leaders for discussions focused on the importance of providing positive opportunities to those impacted by youth violence and need to inspire young people through arts and creative industries.

Prior to His Majesty’s arrival, young people had been taking part in a series of one-to-one mentoring sessions. The session aimed to give young people an opportunity to seek advice and guidance from mentors and leaders from across business, sport, civil society and the media, as well as current Trust mentors from across the UK.

His Majesty, joined by Sir Gareth Southgate, listened to the outcomes of the morning mentoring session and how a new initiative, created with The King’s Trust, will support young people into employment. The King and Sir Gareth heard from young people about struggles they have faced with finding secure stable employment and how valuable support can be.

During the event, The King also met mentors supporting the new initiative and previous attendees of Youth Summits who updated His Majesty on their progress in supporting young people.