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DOWN TO CROWN

Look How Excited King Charles Is to Stand Next to Martha Stewart

Even royals get a bit giddy sometimes.

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

PublishedApr 30, 2026, 1:46 PM EDT

UpdatedApr 30, 2026, 1:46 PM EDT

Updated Apr 30, 2026, 1:46 PM EDTPublished Apr 30, 2026, 1:46 PM EDT

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The King appeared visibly excited as he stood next to America’s favorite homemaking tycoon, Martha Stewart.

King Charles III, 77, and Queen Camilla, 78, participated in the King’s Trust Global Gala at Christie’s in New York City on Wednesday during their highly publicized U.S. state visit.

The King’s Trust, founded by the monarch, is a charity that supports young people in their career journeys. This was the fifth annual gala, and also celebrated the foundation’s 50th anniversary.

The gala was filled with celebrities, including former American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, supermodel Karlie Kloss, and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lionel Richie.

Then, there was Martha.

The 84-year-old lifestyle mogul posted a picture of herself with the British Monarch on her Instagram, immortalizing the encounter.

In the image, the two are seen standing side by side, laughing with wide smiles, each appearing a bit starstruck.

Stewart captioned the post, “Despite the myriad problems facing the world, and the rigors of demanding international travel, His Majesty was in excellent humor and form last evening in NYC at a Gala Dinner for the King’s Trust International, his eponymous charity supporting young people and their entrepreneurial dreams.”

The caption had been altered hours after the photo was posted. Based on the comments, it appears that Stewart initially referred to King Charles with the wrong title, calling him “His Royal Highness.”

Traditionally, he is addressed as “Your Majesty,” then ”Sir" in subsequent mentions. “His Royal Highness” is a term reserved for princes, princesses, and the spouses of kings or queens, while “His Majesty” refers to the reigning monarch.

The mistake was nothing compared to her shockingly informal name drop about the royal that evening. Before joining the dinner, Stewart was spotted outside the Whitby Hotel in New York City, where she told TMZ she was on her way to see “Chuck.”

“I call him Chuck,” she said, referencing the King.

Chuck is considered an American nickname for Charles and is not commonly used in the U.K., according to Ancestry.

While nicknames typically signify a close relationship, calling the King by his first name can be viewed as disrespectful.

Before the gala, Stewart complimented the royal couple.

“He looks great,” she said of King Charles III, adding, “Camilla looks fabulous.”

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When a journalist asked her what decorating tips she would give the royals, she chuckled. “They don’t need it at all,” Stewart said, adding, “I need it from them.”

For the celebration, Stewart wore a floor-length sapphire sequined dress with padded shoulders and a slightly flared skirt.

She paired the long-sleeved gown with dangling diamond earrings and black open-toe platform heels, and swapped her favorite phone case wristlet for a more formal black clutch.

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Her glam was done by professional makeup artist AL. Rutkovskiy with Charlotte Tilbury products. Tilbury also accompanied Stewart for the gala.

Commenters quipped that Stewart could also be considered an American version of royalty, calling her “Queen Martha.”

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Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

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