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Sir Rod Stewart joins King Charles to launch 35th anniversary celebrations for charity

Sir Rod joked with King as he placed secateurs in time capsule

Athena Stavrou
Wednesday 15 January 2025 16:49 GMT
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Rod Stewart fills in pot holes near his house because no one else will do it

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The King was joined by Sir Rod Stewart and his wife Penny Lancaster to celebrate the 35th anniversary of his charity, The King’s Foundation.

Sir Rod and Ms Lancaster showed their support at the charity’s headquarters at Dumfries House in East Ayrshire as its newest ambassadors.

The King’s Foundation was founded as the Prince of Wales’s Institute of Architecture by Charles in 1990 when he was Prince of Wales, and works to build sustainable communities and transform lives.

Over the course of the year, the charity will collect items which people feel represent the achievements and legacy of the foundation, and it will then be buried on the Dumfries House estate and opened in 100 years.

The ambassadors seemed amused at the items placed inside, which included marmalade, a local newspaper, flowers from the Dumfries House garden and photos.

Sir Rod and Ms Lancaster showed their support at the charity’s headquarters at Dumfries House in East Ayrshire as its newest ambassadors.
Sir Rod and Ms Lancaster showed their support at the charity’s headquarters at Dumfries House in East Ayrshire as its newest ambassadors. (Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

Noticing a bottle of malt whisky, the King said: “That will be really interesting in 100 years’ time.”

He also seemed amused at a contribution from Titchmarsh – a mug with the slogan “The lawn ranger”.

Before the King entered the room, Sir Rod had jokingly pretended he was preparing to throw his watch into the empty box.

He then pretended to cower as Charles picked up his secateurs to place them in the capsule, to the King’s amusement.

Charles then put in his personal letter, saying “I’ll bury this at the bottom”.

Sir Rod pretended to cower as Charles picked up his secateurs to place them in the capsule, to the King’s amusement.
Sir Rod pretended to cower as Charles picked up his secateurs to place them in the capsule, to the King’s amusement. (Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

Sir Rod, who has just celebrated his 80th birthday, and model, special constable and Loose Women star Lancaster have joined the likes of David Beckham and Sienna Miller in the role of celebrity ambassadors.

The time capsule itself was designed and made from oak at the Snowdon School of Furniture, part of The King’s Foundation at Highgrove, by King’s Foundation alumnus Aiden Lawley, who said it was “an honour” to create it.

The capsule design has been left intentionally plain to both celebrate the British timber used and to give space for other students and alumni to add decorative elements throughout the year.

During the visit on Wednesday, the King spoke to members of the local community, ambassadors and alumni of the foundation.

King Charles III, with foundation ambassador Alan Titchmarsh (left) during a reception with community representatives, students, alumni and ambassadors
King Charles III, with foundation ambassador Alan Titchmarsh (left) during a reception with community representatives, students, alumni and ambassadors (Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

He also met a former King’s Foundation student, Lily Marsh, who now runs a successful sculpting business, who has created a new bust of Charles.

The charity supports 15,000 students across its education programmes each year and said it has a positive impact on hundreds of thousands of people around the world through its community regeneration projects.

Its textiles education programmes work to train the next generation of young craftspeople in heritage and endangered skills, but it also focuses on sustainability, farming and agriculture, health and wellbeing, and architecture and urbanism.

Sir Rod, who has just celebrated his 80th birthday, and model, special constable and Loose Women star Lancaster have joined the likes of David Beckham and Sienna Miller in the role of celebrity ambassadors.

King Charles III's garden secateurs which were placed in The King's Foundation's 35th anniversary time capsule
King Charles III's garden secateurs which were placed in The King's Foundation's 35th anniversary time capsule (Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

The veteran rocker, whose hits include Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?, Hot Legs and Maggie May, said: “We are so pleased to be coming on board as ambassadors for The King’s Foundation and look forward to lending our support to this worthwhile cause, particularly during such a significant year for the charity.”

Lancaster, also known as Lady Stewart, said: “As a volunteer special constable, the foundation’s approach to building communities – and how access to green spaces can help build better, healthier places – is particularly important to me.

“It’s an honour to be working with the foundation and I can’t wait to meet more of the inspiring people who both learn with and work for the organisation.”

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