King Charles has joined forces with actor Idris Elba and Netflix in a powerful new push to combat knife crime.
At a moving round-table at St James’s Palace, the King, 76, met with victims, youth workers and campaigners to mark one year since he first convened a summit on the issue.
Among them was 23-year-old Kyle Shaw Tullin — a Royal Marine and Team GB boxer — who told how he was stabbed at 17 and nearly died.
“I was absolutely riveted by what Kyle said,” the King told the group.
Elba, 52, who launched the Don’t Stop Your Future campaign last year, joined the King to film scenes for a Netflix documentary marking the 50th anniversary of The King’s Trust. A six-strong crew recorded parts of the session, with the film due to air in 2026.
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, also attended. “As a parent of teenagers, I can’t imagine what many of these families have faced,” he said. “Your strength is inspiring.”
The King, speaking unscripted, called for joined-up action across government, charities and local organisations. “The key is delivery,” he said. “How do we turn all this goodwill into real change?”
He praised young people using sport to stay out of trouble. “Being too tired from boxing to get into mischief — that’s a very good point,” he quipped.
The King’s Trust, launched as The Prince’s Trust in 1976, has helped over a million young people. One of them, Michael Gilroy, 27, used a £5,000 grant to launch a Muay Thai events company. “When the King says he’s proud of you, it’s surreal,” he said.
Elba added: “We’ve made progress, but we can’t take our foot off the pedal. There’s more to do — especially ahead of the national knife crime summit in September.”
The Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime — formed after last year’s palace meeting — continues to bring together police, government and community groups. With the King at the helm, there’s real momentum.
A palace source said: “His Majesty isn’t just listening — he’s driving change.”
