Charles rubs shoulders with stars at the Prince’s Trust Awards

The Prince of Wales has rubbed shoulders with the stars of Bridgerton and Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Prince’s Trust Awards.

Charles cracked a joke as he arrived on the red carpet outside the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London’s West End on Tuesday.

On the steps of the venue, he was greeted by impresario Lord Lloyd-Webber, its owner, and the Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir Kenneth Olisa.

Ahead of the ceremony, the prince spoke to Jonathan Bailey and Phoebe Dynevor, who star in Regency-era Netflix drama Bridgerton.

Bailey joked that he expected the hit show to “be on for the next 50 years” and told the prince the series has been shooting in Bath, before describing the city as “stunning”.

Before the show, the presenting duo told Charles they were looking forward to some “classic HRH bantz” and jokingly noted that he looked very disappointed each year when they returned as hosts.

Among the winners were a mother who overcame her experience of domestic violence to secure a job in the ambulance service and a young woman who was helped through her addiction issues by the Prince’s Trust.

BBC host Clara Amfo jokingly congratulated her co-presenter Anne-Marie on making it down the on-stage stairs safely in a nod to her infamous fall at the Brit Awards.

Taking to the stage after the final award, Charles quipped, “Welcome to the Ant and Dec Prince’s Trust Tuesday Afternoon Takeaway”.

Founded by Charles in 1976, the trust supports 11 to 30-year-olds across the UK who are unemployed, struggling at school or at risk of exclusion.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane has undergone major renovations in recent years, reopening in July 2021 with the Frozen musical currently showing.