King’s Trust Gala 2026: Every Celebrity Who Attended Cipriani New York With King Charles

It’s not often a single New York gala draws the editor-in-chief of Vogue, the most powerful name in Italian fashion, a recently-knighted music legend, half a dozen supermodels, and a sitting British king all in the same room. The King’s Trust Gala 2026 — held at Cipriani New York on the night of April 29 during King Charles III’s first US visit as monarch — managed exactly that, in what’s already being called one of the most star-studded charity nights of the year.

Here’s the full breakdown of the gala — what the King’s Trust actually is, who walked the carpet, what they wore, and why this particular evening mattered for both the cause and the cultural calendar.

What is the King’s Trust?

The King’s Trust — formerly the Prince’s Trust until King Charles’ accession to the throne in 2022 — is a British youth charity founded in 1976 by then-Prince Charles. Across nearly five decades, the Trust has supported more than a million young people in the United Kingdom and dozens of other countries, primarily through programmes that help 11-to-30-year-olds get into education, training, and entrepreneurship.

The annual King’s Trust Gala in New York is the charity’s largest single fundraising event in the United States, regularly bringing in upwards of $10 million in a single evening. The 2026 edition, by all accounts, exceeded that — boosted both by the King’s personal attendance and by the unusually deep guest list.

Why this year was different

King Charles III’s 2026 trip to the United States is his first official visit as the British monarch — a state-level diplomatic moment that put extra weight on every event he attended. The King’s Trust Gala, held at the tail end of the visit, became the cultural and philanthropic centrepiece of his time in New York.

That timing produced a guest list that mixed three normally separate worlds — fashion, music, and the kind of long-time King’s Trust supporters who attend every year. The result was a room with more genuine power and influence per square foot than even the Met Gala typically achieves.

The fashion front row

The fashion-industry presence was probably the most-photographed component of the night, given how rarely this many top fashion figures appear at the same charity event:

• Anna Wintour — a long-time King’s Trust supporter, attending in her signature oversized sunglasses and a bespoke Chanel.
• Donatella Versace — making one of her highest-profile US appearances since stepping back from Versace’s day-to-day creative direction.
• Stella McCartney — the Trust has been one of her family’s long-standing personal causes; she wore one of her own brand’s tailored evening pieces.
• Edward Enninful — former British Vogue editor, now running his own media venture.
• Grace Coddington — the legendary creative director and one of the night’s most quietly photographed guests.
• Charlotte Tilbury — the makeup artist turned beauty mogul.
• Karlie Kloss, Jasmine Tookes, Karen Elson, Iman, Neelam Gill — the supermodel quartet of the evening.

Music, acting, and society

Beyond the fashion contingent, the gala drew a deep cross-section of music, screen, and New York society:

• Lionel Richie — a long-time King’s Trust performer, attending with his partner Lisa Parigi. He performed several songs during the evening’s entertainment portion.
• Katherine Jenkins — the Welsh classical-crossover soprano, who has been a Trust supporter for over a decade.
• Nina Dobrev — the actress, looking sharply tailored on the carpet.
• Meghann Fahy — the breakout star of The White Lotus Season 2.
• Leo Woodall — also from the White Lotus universe and a recent breakout.
• Martha Stewart — the eternal New York gala fixture, in classic black-tie monochrome.
• Iman — David Bowie’s widow and a long-time British charity advocate, who knew the King personally for decades.
• Natasha Poonawalla — the Indian philanthropist whose gala appearances have made her one of the more recognised names on the international charity circuit.
• Emma Thynn (Viscountess Weymouth) — British socialite and presenter.
• Kit Butler — male model and one of the King’s Trust youth ambassadors.

The best-dressed moments

The dress code, per the gala’s official invitation, was simply “black tie.” In practice, the room ran the full range from classic to sculptural to overtly fashion-forward.

• Stella McCartney wore a sustainable black tuxedo gown of her own design, made from the brand’s mushroom-leather material — a quiet but pointed statement choice.
• Donatella Versace wore a deep emerald structured Atelier Versace look, a colour she’s been favouring across the spring 2026 calendar.
• Karlie Kloss chose a vintage 1990s slip-dress silhouette in champagne, layered under a cropped white blazer.
• Nina Dobrev went sharper than usual in a black off-the-shoulder Carolina Herrera gown.
• Anna Wintour stayed signature: bobbed hair, bespoke Chanel, the sunglasses staying on for the carpet exit.
• Lionel Richie wore a navy velvet smoking jacket with the King’s Trust pin discreetly fastened to the lapel.

The night’s performances

The Gala’s musical programme — always one of its hallmarks — featured Lionel Richie performing a short three-song set including Hello and a stripped-back acoustic Easy, and Katherine Jenkins performing a classical-crossover medley that included a pointed nod to the King’s coronation soundtrack.

The King himself made brief remarks before dinner, thanking the room for fifty years of support and announcing that the Trust would be expanding its US programmes — a small but meaningful piece of news that drew the night’s longest applause.

Why this gala matters

It’s tempting to read a star-studded charity gala as just a star-studded charity gala. The King’s Trust Gala 2026 was that, but it was also a rare moment where philanthropy and culture genuinely overlapped. The Trust does serious, measurable work — entrepreneurship grants, vocational training, mental health support for young people in some of the UK’s most economically pressured communities. The fashion and music guests in the room aren’t just decoration; they fundraise meaningfully across the year.

And the wider point — for a generation that’s increasingly cynical about celebrity philanthropy — is that the King’s Trust has the receipts. Fifty years. A million-plus young people supported. Hundreds of millions raised. The Cipriani ballroom on Wednesday night was, in a small way, evidence of a model that has actually worked.

Frequently asked questions

For more on the season’s biggest red carpets and best-dressed lists, see our Red Carpet section and Fashion section.

Watch the visual story: King's Trust Gala 2026 — Web Story