King Charles Recruits David Beckham (and His Bees!) to Help Find Influencers for His Charity

Mar. 15, 2025

King Charles and David Beckham attend the King’s Foundation charity awards in London on June 11, 2024.Photo:Kirsty Wigglesworth - WPA Pool/Getty

Kirsty Wigglesworth - WPA Pool/Getty

King Charlesis on the hunt for influencers.

The King’s charities are looking for what they call changemakers under 35 who can spread the word about traditional arts and crafts, textiles, architecture and urbanism, health and well-being, horticulture and farming.

The athlete appears in a 35-second video to promote the drive as he underscores the commitment to the natural world, sustainable farming and horticulture.

Unveiling the campaign, chief executive of the King’s Foundation Kristina Murrin says they are searching “for the next generation of makers and changemakers who will act as diverse and impactful representatives for the subjects areas that we represent as a charity and that the King stands for.”

Their aim is to “showcase the benefits” of what Charles calls “harmony,” the philosophy that everything in nature is interconnected, including ourselves.

“We hope that some of our students and alumni will form part of this group as well as social media influencers and content creators,” she added.

King Charles at Trinity Buoy Wharf.The King’s Foundation

The King’s Foundation

In tandem with the 35th anniversary, King Charles is also helping make a documentary about the work of the Foundation that will air on Amazon. It “will act as a fantastic showcase for our work and the King’s lifetime of service to the natural world,” Murrin explained at a briefing on Thursday, Feb. 27.

The Foundation’s education programs cover natural sciences, farming and food, regeneration and the built environment and traditional arts and heritage crafts works for 15,000 students — from school level to those studying for PhDs — every year, she explained.

“Our central ethos has always remained the same: we promote the change the King wants to see in the world,” she said. “We are passionate about educating the next generation about the natural environment and the importance of spending time in nature for our own health and well-being.”

King Charles visits the School of Traditional Arts.The King’s Foundation

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The Foundation began in 1990 when Charles, then the Prince of Wales, set up the Institute of Architecture, which explored how to develop and build sustainable communities. The Charles-inspired town of Poundbury was the result. It then broadened into a range of areas from the preservation of heritage skills like wood-turning and sustainably looking after the built and natural environment.

Today, there is an array of education programs that lead the way to nurturing talent in areas like embroidery for couture houses and furniture making, which would otherwise be lost.

King Charles visits Trinity Buoy Wharf.The King’s Foundation

When PEOPLEvisited in the summer, Angelica Ellis from London said she drew inspiration for her idea from the garden’s purple and orange blooms of crocuses.

“Here, it is all about protecting traditional crafts, which is something I care about too,” she said. “You see the benefits in France where they’re quite good at producing and keeping their skills. The project here is super important. There are things that the tutors here have given me that I don’t think you get anywhere else.”

source: people.com