King Charles has introduced a new series of awards to honor living in harmony with nature. The inaugural ceremony, held at St James’s Palace, saw a star-studded guest list, including David Beckham and Sienna Miller.
The first recipient of the King Charles III Harmony Award was former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Food campaigner and TV chef Jamie Oliver was also recognized, winning the “advocate of the year” award.
The awards, presented by the King’s Foundation, are deeply significant to King Charles. He has often spoken about the almost spiritual idea of humanity coexisting peacefully with the natural world. The principle behind these awards is simple: “We should work with nature, not against it.”
The event at St James’s Palace attracted numerous celebrities. David Beckham, now an ambassador for the King’s Foundation, was among them. He was humorously teased by Sir Rod Stewart, who hinted that Beckham’s knighthood “was coming soon.”
King Charles also engaged Beckham in a conversation about the England football team’s preparations for the upcoming Euros tournament in Germany. Beckham described it as a “warming up” phase, to which the King diplomatically responded, “You don’t want to expend it all in one go at the beginning.”
At the event, Beckham took on an unexpected role, managing an interactive exhibit that showcased the integration of science, technology, and nature. This included a demonstration of hand knitting using Dumfries House wool.
Other notable attendees included gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh, TV presenters Sarah Beeny and Patrick Grant, chef Raymond Blanc, editor Edward Enninful, and model Naomi Campbell. These awards are intended to be annual, celebrating traditional craft skills, sustainable business practices, and a sense of harmony.
Ban Ki-moon, who led the United Nations from 2007 to 2016, was praised for his lifelong commitment to fostering a “sustainable relationship between people, planet, and place on both local and global scales.”
Sienna Miller presented a “young entrepreneur” award to Isabelle Pennington-Edmead, a former student of the foundation who now runs her own sustainable fashion business.
Other winners included emerging artist Kadijah Dumbuya, Octopus Energy, a community project in Kingston, Jamaica, and a Romanian initiative called the “ambulance for monuments,” which focuses on repairing historic buildings.
Hospitality students at the event served royal residence-themed cocktails, such as the Highgrove Cocktail, which featured gin, Gloucestershire strawberry shrub, thyme liqueur, and soda. Another option was a taste of East Ayrshire’s Dumfries House, a mix of whisky, Manzanilla sherry, rhubarb soda, and dandelion and burdock bitters.
King Charles expressed his delight at the event, stating, “I really am delighted to be here with you all at the inaugural King’s Foundation Awards and to present the first King Charles III Harmony Award. This award was created to recognize individuals who champion the values which underpin the King’s Foundation’s mission and my own hope for a world in which we live in harmony with nature.”
The King’s Foundation aims to build better communities where people, places, and the environment can coexist peacefully. The awards ceremony, which will be held annually, honors partners, educators, students, and alumni for their contributions to the foundation’s goals in various fields.
The introduction of the “harmony” prizes marks a new category in the awards. These prizes are meant to honor traditional craft skills, sustainable business approaches, and a sense of harmony, all based on the King’s belief that “we should work with nature, not against it.”
The King’s passion for these causes is evident. He has long advocated for the idea of humanity living in harmony with nature. The awards ceremony was a testament to this vision, celebrating individuals and organizations that embody these values.
The event was a blend of glamour and purpose, with celebrities and honorees coming together to celebrate a shared commitment to sustainability and harmony with nature. The King’s Foundation continues to inspire and recognize those who strive to make the world a better place through their dedication to these principles.
