It felt like a significant moment for the monarch, a sign of what he wants his reign to be all about.
In St James’s Palace, I watched as the King took his seat around a table with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and two cabinet members talking about youth violence, one of the most pressing social issues facing young people, and a topic that graced the pages of party manifestos.
I do not think we ever would have seen Queen Elizabeth II publicly doing something like that.
The King’s interest in helping young people is not anything new.
The Prince’s Trust, now the King’s Trust, was born out of his concern for those caught up in the riots in the 1980s.
Actor Idris Elba, who was at the event and shares his passion for ending youth violence, was one of those helped by the Prince’s Trust at the start of his acting career.
But today you sensed the reason the King also wanted the ministers and the media there was to really listen to what the young people had to say about their experiences and the friends or loved ones they have lost.
We all know that as Prince of Wales, he would at times face criticism for intervening on all kinds of topics, for overstepping the line of political neutrality.
Yet this is an area where some would argue policy change or government intervention is needed to stop young people dying from knife crime.
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The King and Idris Elba. Pic: PA
The King and the actor spoke with youth organisations to hear reflections from their conversations. Pic: PA
‘You have the right to push us’
The prime minister specifically said to the young people around the table that they should hold him and his cabinet colleagues to account: “You have the right to push us, you have the right to say to [Home Secretary] Yvette [Cooper], to me, to [Culture Secretary] Lisa [Nandy], ‘you said you were going to get on with this, get on with it because this is really important’.”
Sir Keir Starmer and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy at the palace. Pic: PA
But as Elba was keen to stress there is now at least consensus that something has to be done: “Our country wanting to have some change and consistently banging on that door for change.
“We’re fortunate we have a government who is prepared to step into that, the government prior wanted to as well but right now is a moment for change, not talk.”
That of course helps prevent the King from being accused of being political, but it was still surprising to hear the monarch publicly admitting he will be keeping an eye out for what the new government do about it: “I’m looking forward to seeing how progress occurs as a result of all this gathering. I shall be watching the progress.”
A more outwardly socially engaged monarchy
The event was meant to be held the day just after the election was called. The fact it was moved was a sign that within the palace there was a sense it could have been seen as an intervention when the parties were out campaigning.
There is no doubt we have a more outwardly socially engaged monarchy; the environment, homelessness, mental health and youth violence all causes they have taken on.
But increasingly they would argue they are all matters where there is cross-party agreement change is needed.
Palace insiders will always insist the King continues to work within those constitutional guard rails.
Yet what we have seen today is his determination to still use his convening power to make a difference on some of the most pressing issues of our time.