The Work and Interests of His Majesty King Charles III

Throughout his life, His Majesty King Charles III has been a keen philanthropist and has been involved with several charities over the years. His Majesty The King has founded 18 charities, been the patron or president of more than 400 organisations, and has an avid interest in the natural environment and sustainability.

Here are just a few of the important causes that King Charles III took a key role in during his time as The Prince of Wales.

• The Prince’s Trust
• The Prince’s Countryside Fund
• The Prince’s Drawing School
• Dumfries House
• Patron and President
• Organic Farming
• Sustainable Gardening

The Prince’s Trust

In 1976, His Majesty founded The Prince’s Trust with the purpose of helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. After he left the Royal Navy, he used his severance pay of £7,400 to fund 21 projects that included a community centre in Haggerston Housing Estate and a fishing club run by two ex-offenders.

These initiatives transformed into The Prince’s Trust, which today offers schemes to help young people fulfil their potential, including help to start businesses, as well as offering support to care leavers and ex-offenders. In September 2020, The Prince’s Trust announced that it had supported 1 million young people to date; His Majesty has also founded international arms of The Prince’s Trust.

The Prince’s Countryside Fund

Inspired by The King’s love of the countryside, The Prince’s Countryside Fund aims to support family farms and rural communities. Founded in 2010, The Prince’s Countryside Fund has invested more than £10 million in more than 400 projects since its foundation.

The Prince’s Drawing School

Originally founded in 2000, with the aim of providing a space for expert teachers to students to explore their creativity, The Prince’s Drawing School was renamed The Royal Drawing School in 2014. As a keen watercolourist, King Charles III has an avid interest in creating art and inspiring creativity in young people.

Dumfries House

His Majesty’s interests in the built environment and countryside led him to save the eighteenth-century Dumfries House and its estate in Scotland. Now open to the public, the estate offers training opportunities for young people in traditional skills and crafts.

Patron and President

Throughout his life, King Charles III has been a patron or president for more than 400 organisations. Some of these organisations include Age UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, the Welsh National Opera, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and The Canal and River Trust. His Majesty has also been involved with several smaller organisations, such as The Delphinium Society, which is The King’s favourite flower.

Organic Farming

A great believer in organic farming, His Majesty managed Home Farm at his Highgrove Estate on organic principles, establishing Duchy Originals in 1990 to sell food products produced on the estate. When he took over the management of Sandringham Estate in 2017, The King introduced organic farming practices to this estate too, offering it as a sanctuary for the release of chicks of the endangered curlew.

Sustainable Gardening

His Majesty has had a keen interest in gardening from a young age after he and his younger sister Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal had their own vegetable patch in the grounds at Buckingham Palace. After purchasing Highgrove House in 1980, King Charles III created sustainable gardens at the property using organic principles, which included a sundial garden planted with delphiniums. Receiving up to 40,000 visitors every year, the gardens at Highgrove also feature a beech tree collection of the National Plant Collection.

The King has also established four acres of wildflower meadows at Highgrove, featuring more than seven varieties of orchids. To commemorate 60 years since his mother’s coronation, His Majesty campaigned to nurture 60 wildflower meadows in 2013.