King Charles joins Apple CEO Tim Cook to browse the Christmas markets at Battersea Power Station as they team up to help young people with digital skills

The King was treated to a performance of Christmas tunes by singing sensation Raye today as he and chatted to King Trust students on a visit to Apple’s London HQ.

His Majesty was visiting the tech giant’s HQ at Battersea Power Station where he met the company’s Chief Executive, Tim Cook, who had flown over for the event.

Apple have teamed up with the King’s Trust on technology workshop sessions to empower young people to build confidence and develop creative digital skills.

The entire building had turned out to greet and cheer His Majesty and Cook who walked up and down shaking hands and talking to excited staff in thee Atrium.

The King was also introduced to British talent, including actress Cush Jumbo, artist Yinka Ilori, England rugby players Jess Breach and Lou Meadows, and influencer and disability activist Lucy Edwards.

He also chatted to youngsters from the local St George’s CofE Primary School, Battersea, whose Christmas drawings were projected on the Power Station’s iconic chimneys as His Majesty departed. He asked them if they were enjoying their visit to Apple.

Tim and Charles first browsed the Christmas market stalls, before heading to the Apple HQ and listening to a surprise performance from singer Raye, who said it was ‘very scary and very amazing’ to be in Charles’s presence. 

The King, 76, appeared in very positive spirits as he spoke with traders, some of whom are young entrepreneurs supported by The King’s Trust’s Enterprise programme. 

Charles seemed very intrigued as he browsed the Christmas market stalls, chatting with his usual enthusiasm and energetically smelling a festive candle at the Curated Makers market.  

He also unveiled a plaque, reading: ‘To commemorate the visit of His Majesty King Charles III to Battersea Power Station on Thursday 12th December 2024.’ 

The King looked smart and was wearing a smart blue suit and patterned tie. It is his first visit to the refurbished site, which reopened in October 2022. 

The royal was greeted by Christmas carols sung by the community choir before viewing stalls in Turbine Hall A and meeting representatives from local community organisations and primary schools

He also met Rita Kelly, who worked in the power station in the 1950s and led the official reopening.   

He was particularly keen to speak to speak to a group of King’s Trust young people who have participated in the Apple courses.

‘I do hope we haven’t impeded you,’ he said, and listened with fascination at the young people tell him how the courses had changed their lives.

 ‘Did you enjoy it?’ he asked one young girl.

‘It was amazing!’ she enthused.

‘You never know!’ he joked, ‘They can be sceptical to start.

‘I am just got glad you feel that it his given you skills and focus and you are now findings where your place is. ‘

He looked delighted when a mother told him: ‘I had moved, I had no friends, ambition was lacking. But after doing this, I love it. I have ambition now, I know what I want to do and where I want to go. It’s all down the course. Brilliant. ‘

‘And was it long enough,’ asked the King. ‘Too short? I hope it has had a positive effect and been of use. ‘

The King also marvelled over some Apple AI technology that turns rudimentary scribbles into art before going into a private meeting with Cook. 

Outside in the drizzle they stood on a stage with the Apple Chief Executive telling him: ‘We are honoured to host His Majesty King Charles III at Apple Battersea….at Apple we are honoured to call this our home in the UK and we are so grateful to His Majesty for visiting us this afternoon. ‘

He praise his ‘extraordinary leadership, his service to the United Kingdom and his lifelong commitment to philanthropy and the betterment of humanity. ‘

He also praised the King’s Trust ‘incredible work in powering and educating and next generations and creating opportunity by teaching vital skills like coding’.

The King was then invited to unveil a plaque commemorating his visit – and laughed as he got a ‘wolf whistle’ as he did.

Singer Raye – a surprise to the audience – was then invited to take to the stage.

She seemed genuinely overwhelmed at meeting the monarch. She bowed her head, shook his hand and said hello.

The king appeared to comment on her black strapped dress and asked her if she felt the cold. ‘I don’t, I don’t,’ she smiled and put her thumb up as they took a picture.

The King then walked offstage to listen to her set, ‘thank you, I hope you enjoy it,’ the singer said.

He stayed to listen to her sing her first song, as she said: ‘What an honour to be in the presence of His Majesty today. It’s all very scary and very fancy so it’s very amazing.’

She began by singing ‘Oh Holy Night’, one her favourite Christmas carols as the King listened. He then slipped off given the cold and rain, while Rae continued her set.

At one point she said she had decided not to sing her biggest hit, Escapism: ‘The King is in the vicinity and there are too many swear words. My nan would never forgive me!’ But the monarch had left by then.

Apple’s investment in the United Kingdom has grown to exceed £18 billion over the past five years — and its engineering teams in the country have also doubled during that time. Since the launch of the App Store in 2008, developers in the UK have earned nearly £9 billion from selling digital goods and services.

Earlier he visited the ‘Curated Makers Christmas Market’ at Battersea Power Station, describing at as ‘wonderful’.

Charles, 76, stepped out of his State Bentley as ‘We Three Kings’ was sung by the Battersea Power Station Community Choir and greeted a small line-up of local politicians.

His Majesty waved to the crowds gathered outside the impressive red brick building, which reopened in October 2022 as a community of shops, restaurants, offices, homes, and public spaces.

Stopping to speak to the choir as he headed out the cold and drizzle, the King told them: ‘That was very good. You must be frozen; you’ll need a stiff drink!’

Inside, the King was shown photographs of the former power station before being introduced to 90-year-old Rita Kelly, who worked as an administrative assistant at the Power Station in the 1950s and officially opened the restored Power Station to the public in 2022, and her daughter Stephanie.

They chatted warmly for several minutes and at one point the trio burst out laughing, and Mrs Kelly explained afterwards: ‘He knew that I was mischievous.’

Her daughter said: ‘She wanted to climb one of the chimneys.

‘So one lunchtime, she decided that she was going to climb the chimney, and she got as far as the platform – and then she got caught.’

Mrs Kelly, who described meeting the King as a ‘real honour’, added: ‘I persuaded my colleagues to come. I was reprimanded, and I was lucky not to get the sack.’

Charles then met the CEO of the King’s Trust, Jonathan Townsend, and Megan Jones, an alumna of the trust who founded the Curated Market in 2017.

Her business thrived after being supported by The King’s Trust’s Enterprise Programme in 2018, and she opened her first permanent retail store at the power station in 2022, which supports over 40 local craft makers.

For the past two years she has been invited to host the Curated Market at Christmas, as well as at other seasonal events throughout the year.

Ms Jones accompanied the King as he stopped to speak to each of the stallholders, asking them how the market helps their business.

At the first stall, jewellery brand Ava and Azar, he was handed a gift to take home for the Queen.

‘Are you sure?’ the King asked.

Owner Soophia Foroughi, who started the business during the coronavirus lockdown, said she gifted a hand-crafted gold brooch

He told one: ‘This is wonderful.’

Stopping to speak to Adam Stoneham at his stall, Loyal Candles, the King asked: ‘Were you doing something else before you did this?’

‘Yes, I worked a 9-5. This is the best decision I have ever made.’

The King joked: ‘I hope you are managing the cash flow alright.’

Two of the stalls are supported by The King’s Trust, and His Majesty was keen to learn what help they had received.

‘Did you do a course within the Trust?’ He asked and was told that they participated in the Enterprise programme.

Before he headed upstairs to Apple HQ, the King unveiled a plaque and was presented with a framed photograph of the late Queen when she visited the control room in 1946, when she was Princess Elizabeth.

Charles stopped to speak to some of the hundreds of people gathered inside the lively hub, and left one lady speechless after he shook her hand.

Speaking afterwards, Elizabeth said she was with her niece doing some Christmas shopping when she learned of the royal visitor.

They stood waiting for 20 minutes, and said she was so awestruck she didn’t think to tell him he shared his late mother’s name.

‘It was a Christmas treat,’ she said.

Speaking afterwards, Ms Jones said it ‘was incredible’ to meet the King and ‘show off the market’.

She said ‘I started my business idea with the King’s Trust in 2018 so to be able to then present the market and tell him about the stalls was a real full circle moment.’

The entrepreneur said the monarch was ‘jovial’ and even made a joke with her.

‘Nine out of 10 for your business idea,’ he told her.

‘What can I do to get it to a 10?’ She replied, keen for constructive feedback.

Smiling, he said: ‘Oh no, it is definitely a 10.’

Ms Jones successfully developed her ‘Curated Makers’ brand, winning awards and receiving Innovate UK backing, partnering with Apple, the RHS, Network Rail and John Lewis, and launching stores within Battersea Power Station and Meadowhall in Sheffield.

Battersea Power Station was a working Power Station between the 1930s and early 1980s and at its peak it produced a fifth of London’s power, supplying electricity to landmarks including Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament.

 

It was designed by architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who is also responsible for deigning the iconic K2 red telephone box, Tate Modern and Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, and is one of Europe’s largest brick buildings.

The power station was designated a Grade II listed building in 1980 and upgraded to Grade II in 2007.   

Cook is visiting the UK this week and explained that he ‘always loves visiting London, especially over the holidays.’

‘We’ve actually doubled the number of Apple engineers in the UK over the past five years,’ he explained ahead of his visit.

‘They’re doing some really important work and research across many of our products, including helping us push the boundaries of innovation with advancements like Apple Intelligence and Private Cloud Compute.

‘I don’t need to tell you that the UK has a tremendous history of innovation and we’re proud that our technical teams here are working on products that reach customers around the world.’

Apple has partnered with The King’s Trust since 2019 to help UK students develop the skills and confidence to pursue educational and career opportunities.

‘Inspiring and motivating young people is at the heart of everything we do at The King’s Trust,’ said Jonathan Townsend, UK Chief Executive of The King’s Trust.

‘Our education work with Apple is a fantastic example of how we’re empowering young people to raise their aspirations, develop their skills and realise their potential.

‘It has been brilliant talking with young people here today about how their confidence has grown during their time on programme and I’m incredibly grateful to Apple for helping us make this a reality.’

In September last year, the Prince and Princess of Wales invited Cook to Windsor Castle to discuss ‘the environment, mental health, and other issues’.

Cook, who took over as the boss of the tech giant in 2011 when its founder Steve Jobs stepped down, proudly stood next to the royal couple. 

‘It was a true honor to meet with the Prince and Princess of Wales. We had a wonderful and wide-ranging discussion about the environment, mental health, and other issues that mean a great deal to all of us,’ Cook wrote in his post.

William, dressed in a navy suit with a light blue shirt, appeared to be deep in conversation with the CEO in another photo from their meeting. Two bags that appeared to have the Apple logo printed on them were also spotted in the snap.

It comes after The King and Queen were treated to a rendition of We Wish you a Merry Christmas by the Military Wives Choirs and the Royal Household Choir in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

The Military Wives ensemble, which comprised a selection of singers from different groups around the country, also performed November Sunday, a song written in honour of the King’s birthday.

Introducing the song, Hilary Davan Wetton, the Military Wives Choirs conductor and artistic director, told the King: ‘This is the first performance of this arrangement.’ The King replied: ‘Is it? Good Lord’.

Charles and Camilla stood in the centre of the Music Room to hear the performance of the song which was released as a single on November 1, two weeks before the King’s 76th birthday.

Written by John McLaren, composer and lyricist, November Sunday recounts the ‘chilly foggy Sunday night’ of King Charles’s birth on 14 November, 1948.

After the Military Wives performed their single, they were joined by a choir comprising palace staff to sing We Wish You A Merry Christmas accompanied by the band of the Household Cavalry.