King Charles III has been named as one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023.
The new monarch appeared on the list under the Icons category, alongside author Salman Rushdie, Chinese dissident Peng Lifa, actor Jennifer Coolidge, trans journalist Imara Jones, and others.
The list pairs awardees with guest contributors who are specially selected to write about them, with British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful penning a tribute to King Charles.
Enninful, who became the global ambassador of the Prince’s Trust in 2021, wrote about the impact that the charity had on the lives of his friends and family.
“Growing up on a council estate in West London, the world of royalty was one I didn’t pay much mind to,” he said. “What would that have to do with young Black boys in Ladbroke Grove? Much more than I realised, it turned out.”
He credited the Prince’s Trust, which was founded by the King while he was the Prince of Wales, for putting people around him “into steady employment” and said its outreach programmes “inspired many of us and instilled confidence”.
“I didn’t realise then just how close our now-King was to all of this,” Enninful said. “He didn’t have to do any of it. He could’ve let his privilege shield him from the realities of our hardship in a time when these were not a cause celebre. But he always met us with an open mind and a listening ear.”
Enninful, who is also European editorial director of Conde Nast, described the King as “charming, funny, socially confident, with a kindness that always seeks to put others at ease”.
“His love for the environment is well-documented, but his love for his subjects burns ever brighter,” he penned.
“The monarchy is not perfect, but in Charles we have a King who understands both tradition and what it takes to evolve with the times. It is a delicate balance and a rare ability.”
Under Enninful’s editorial direction, British Vogue featured an interview and photo shoot with Charles to talk about his approach to sustainable fashion.
But Charles is not the only royal to have made the TIME 100 list. In 2021, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared on the list and posed together for a cover image.
The list highlights individuals who are divided into six categories: Artists, Innovators, Titans, Leaders, Icons and Pioneers.
Other notable figures and celebrities who have been named on this year’s list include supermodel Bella Hadid, actor and TV host Drew Barrymore, author Neil Gaiman, Iranian journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi, US fashion designer Thom Browne, and Mexican activist Maria Herrera Magdaleno.
Charles’ appearance on the list comes as he prepares for his and Queen Camilla’s coronation on Saturday 6 May.
This week, it was confirmed that the King’s youngest son, the Duke of Sussex, will travel to the UK to attend the ceremony but his wife and two children will remain in California.
Buckingham Palace confirmed Prince Harry’s attendance on Wednesday (12 April) after months of speculation.
Meanwhile, The Independent learned that the Duchess of York will not receive an invitation to the coronation, although her former husband the Duke of York and both her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, are expected to attend.
