Our supporters help us empower young people to reach their full potential.
We should like to recognise the incredible generosity of our Global Patrons and our other valued supporters, who enable us to support thousands of young people each year.
The King’s Trust Group is deeply grateful to the late Prince Karim Aga Khan, through whose philanthropy and leadership we have been able to support tens of thousands of young people across all the countries in which we work since 2019. We extend a warm welcome to His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, who continues to support transformative change as our Global Founding Patron.
As our Global Founding Corporate Partner, HSBC’s investment in our programmes has supported more than 15,000 young people across India, Malaysia, Canada and Australia since 2019. HSBC UK’s long-standing support of King’s Trust UK programmes has reached tens of thousands of young people across the UK.
The Varkey Foundation’s mission is to change lives through education. The Foundation’s support of our education programmes in the UK and internationally enables us to invest in new programmes and resources, and to scale up our delivery, reaching more young people and ensuring they gain maximum benefit.
Jeremy and Kathryn are longstanding supporters of our global work, reaching many thousands of young people over the past decade. Jeremy has worked with The King’s Trust for over two decades, initially in the UK. Jeremy has served as Chair of The King’s Trust USA since its founding in 2019. and as a trustee of The King’s Trust Group Company since 2022.
Founded in 1979 by King Charles III and inspired by His Majesty’s values of harmony and sustainability, KCCF is committed to helping people and communities to change the world around them, creating lasting improvements to people’s lives and a sustainable future for all. KCCF’s long-standing core support of our work enables us to respond to emerging priorities and deploy funding where it will have greatest impact.
The work of The King’s Trust is supported by our Global Ambassadors who help The Trust to scale our work around the world.
Lionel Richie
Chairman of the Global Ambassador Group
Chairman of the Global Ambassador Group
International superstar Lionel Richie boasts a discography of albums and singles that is second to none. With more than 125 million albums sold worldwide, an Oscar®, Golden Globe®, and four Grammy Awards®, Richie has been honored with distinctions including 2016 MusiCares Person of the Year, and the 2017 Kennedy Center Honors. In March 2018, Richie cemented his iconic legacy as he imprinted his hand and footprints at Hollywood’s storied TCL Chinese Theatre.
In 2019, Lionel became the Founding Global Ambassador and Chairman of the Global Ambassador Group of The King’s Trust, using his global platform to amplify awareness and visibility of The Trust, but also to support fundraising efforts for young people to continue their education, to secure employment and to build new businesses – in all of the countries in which they work.
In 2022, he was both inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and received the 2022 American Music Awards Icon Award, his 18th AMA award. He also received the 2022 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song by the Library of Congress. Richie debuted and served as producer on the documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim. The Greatest Night in Pop quickly became a cultural phenomenon as the most watched music documentary of 2024 with a staggering 1.3 billion minutes viewed. Richie has served as a judge on ABC’s “American Idol” for the past eight seasons and will return for its 9th season. He also served as executive producer on AppleTV+’s “KPOPPED,” which hit #1 in South Korea. Most recently, Richie offered an intimate and candid reflection on his journey through music, fame, and personal transformation in his New York Times bestselling memoir Truly, released on September 30, 2025.
Edward Enninful OBE
Global Ambassador
Global Ambassador
Edward Enninful OBE is one of the most influential creative voices, celebrated for his visionary storytelling, trailblazing leadership, and lifelong commitment to diversity and inclusion. Born in Ghana and raised in London, he became the youngest-ever fashion editor of i-D magazine at age 18. His innovative eye and fearless creativity quickly gained recognition, leading to a pivotal role at Italian Vogue, where he produced the groundbreaking “Black Issue,” featuring only Black models — a cultural milestone that challenged industry norms and sparked a global conversation. Edward went on to shape the creative direction at American Vogue and W Magazine, before making history as the first Black Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue, where he transformed the brand into a modern, inclusive, multi-platform powerhouse.
Now, as Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of a new media and entertainment company, EE72, Edward continues to shape global culture. A passionate advocate for young people, Edward is one of the founding Global Ambassadors of The King’s Trust, particularly interested in our work in Africa and the Caribbean, bringing his lived experience of growing up in London’s Ladbroke Grove, to inspire and empower the next generation.