The King was today hailed as the “patron saint of second chances” during a star-studded reception at Buckingham Palace celebrating this year’s King’s Trust Awards.
The monarch met award winners and celebrity supporters ahead of the official ceremony, which will take place at the Royal Festival Hall.
Guests included George and Amal Clooney, Dame Joanna Lumley, Joseph Fiennes, Charlotte Tilbury, the Sugababes, Declan Donnelly, Fearne Cotton, and Kate Garraway.
The King was seen sharing a joke with the Clooneys during the reception.
Actor Joseph Fiennes, a long-time ambassador for the King’s Trust, praised the monarch’s enduring support for disadvantaged young people.
“In the 25 years I’ve been doing this, we’ve just seen a collection of young potential that has been picked up, having been disenfranchised or not given the right opportunities,” said Fiennes.
“So I said to His Majesty, maybe it was inappropriate, ‘You are the patron saint of second chances’. And given young potential, second chances is just vital. The cost of living, mental crisis after Covid, this deep rupture in our psyche, especially for the youth has been massive.”
Asked how the King responded, he joked: “I hope rather well. I’m still here!”
The Clooneys were introduced to 19-year-old Alice Ngitira from Kenya, winner of the Amal Clooney Woman’s Empowerment Award. Alice was honoured for teaching traditional beading to over 100 girls in her community, creating a sustainable source of income.
“They are really intelligent people, I really liked them,” she said of the Clooneys. She described meeting the King as “heaven”.
