At The King’s Trust Gala, a Night of Regal Glamour

Meghann Fahy, Leo WoodallBre Johnson/BFA.com

The King’s Trust celebrated its 50th anniversary with a glittering gala at Christie’s New York on Wednesday night. The timbre of London accents echoed around the storied auction house, trays of British-inspired delicacies made the rounds, and King Charles III and Queen Camilla even dropped in for an appearance. As the King addressed the crowd, flanked by Union Jack flags, the vibe shifted, if even for a fleeting moment, to mimic the grandeur of a reception at Balmoral or Buckingham Palace

Established by King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, in 1976, the King’s Trust aims to equip young people with the confidence, skills, and experience needed to succeed professionally. Now active in 20 countries, the organization has supported more than 1.5 million young people. This year’s gala proved its most successful yet—raising over $3 million to address youth unemployment worldwide. Global Ambassadors Lionel Richie and Edward Enninful OBE co-chaired the evening alongside Charlotte Tilbury, who decked out the powder rooms with her beauty products and whose signature coos of “Darling!” could be heard reverberating through the galleries.

With the Met Gala just days away and Charles and Camilla wrapping up a four-day official visit, the crowd struck a balance between fashion-forward–think: luxury-clad models, designers, editors, stylists–and old-school, with many kitted out in their tartan and pearls. Karlie Kloss stunned in a floor-length red gown, Martha Stewart shimmered in a blue sequin number, Laura Harrier wore Kallmeyer, and the likes of Donatella Versace, Meghann Fahy, Leo Woodall and Stella McCartney all mingled under works by Matisse and looming Giacometti sculptures.

Around 6.30 p.m, after guests had been served smoked salmon canapés and Cygnet Gin martinis—the brand’s founder, the Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins OBE, was also in attendance. Charles and Camilla made their way through the crowd and paused to shake hands before listening to a brief introduction from His Majesty's Ambassador, Tristan Gilchrist, who referenced the “Royal hot dog picnic”—a moment when President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously served hot dogs on paper plates to George VI and Queen Elizabrth during their state visit to New York. Thankfully for Charles, who laughed at the anecdote, there were no Frankfurters in sight; just a few warm remarks and light exchanges.

“We are truly greater together—and that’s the point.” he said, of the UK-US relationship. Pausing to complement Lionel Richie on his voice, he added, “He must gargle with port.”

Champagne continued to flow as guests made their way upstairs to enjoy dinner while Charles and Camilla quietly departed. By the end of the night, their presence had felt, to many in the room, like a kind of fever dream—a very Royal one at that.