King Charles Has A Rather Different Role At The Prince’s Trust Now

During his tenure as the Prince of Wales, King Charles III had several royal patronages and organisations, including The Prince's Trust. Founded in 1976 after Charles served in the Royal Navy, the royal wanted to improve “the lives of disadvantaged young people in the UK” during an unemployment crisis. But in his new role as sovereign, Charles expectedly has much more on his plate, and less time to dedicate to the causes he cares deeply for. So who runs The Prince's Trust now that Charles is King?

Well, Prince William is the obvious choice, as he's taken over the title of the Prince of Wales from his father. However, in April 2022, the Daily Mail reported that William would not become president of The Prince's Trust. Instead, he'd continue his work with The Royal Foundation. A source close to the royal told the newspaper that this “approach isn't a criticism of what has come before but just an acknowledgement of a desire for change. It's about hope and optimism for the future.”

During an interview with GB News, Chief Executive of The Prince's Group Martina Milburn said, “the King will remain as our president.” However, she acknowledged that Charles becoming the reigning monarch would bring about changes to its structure. “We've been evolving as a charity ever since he set us up. So I don't think there's going to be any huge great division, and I will certainly still be sending him the odd report letting him know we're getting on,” she explained. Milburn also told Reuters that Charles told her “he's still going to keep an eye on things and what I'm up to.”

In his first national address as King, Charles accepted that he'd no longer be able to give his “time and energy” to the causes he championed as the Prince of Wales. “But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others,” he said.