King Charles beamed as he talked to market traders today (Image: Justin Tallis – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
THE King described the ‘Curated Makers Christmas Market’ at Battersea Power Station as “wonderful” as he visited the iconic London landmark for the first time today.
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.”
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The King met Rita Kelly who worked as an administrative assistant at the Power Station in the 1950s (Image: Justin Tallis – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
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 [two oo’s] 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.”
The King spent time chatting to traders at the power station (Image: JUSTIN TALLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
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.
The last royal visit was by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Edinburgh last June, as part of the premiere of RHINO Man, a documentary about wildlife rangers.