Palace shares surprise moments of King Charles beside Stella McCartney

King Charles gave followers a surprise on 19 February as snapshots from his London Fashion Week appearance landed on Instagram. 

The monarch officially kicked off the February 2026 revealing that couture now has his royal seal of approval too.

At 180 The Strand, home to the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN show space, he met textile students from The King’s Foundation who are part of the Métiers d’art Fellowships run in partnership with CHANEL and Le19M. 

Students Hester, Lucia, Benedict and Flavia demonstrated heritage techniques that’s very much aligned with the King’s long-standing passion for traditional skills and sustainability.

Welcomed by British Fashion Council CEO Laura Weir, Charles toured the designer showcase before taking his place front row at Tolu Coker’s catwalk presentation. 

Seated beside Stella McCartney, the King looked right at home amid the flash of cameras and flowing fabrics.

If the weight of the day’s events was on his mind, Charles gave no hint, appearing happy and engaged as he mingled with designers and fashion insiders at the high-profile opening.

He clapped along to the music as models strutted down the runway in McCartney’s latest creations.