King Charles III and Queen Camilla made a surprise visit to Christie’s headquarters in New York on April 29, 2026, following a White House dinner and address to Congress. They attended a gala for the King’s Trust, a charity supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, rather than bidding on auction lots like a $100 million Jackson Pollock or a $60 million Roy Lichtenstein. The event, co-chaired by Lionel Richie, drew guests including Martha Stewart and Anna Wintour, and featured a dinner in the James Christie Room. Christie’s CEO Bonnie Brennan curtsied to the king, and the royals viewed the new rostrum designed by Jony Ive, set to debut in New York during Christie’s May marquee week.
The visit underscores the intersection of royalty, philanthropy, and the art market, highlighting Christie’s role as a venue for high-profile charitable events. It also draws attention to the auction house’s upcoming May sales, which include the Aggie Gund collection, the S.I. Newhouse collection, and a Renoir estimated at $25–35 million. The presence of King Charles and Queen Camilla at Christie’s reinforces the institution’s prestige and its ability to attract global figures, while the King’s Trust gala emphasizes the use of art-world spaces for social impact.