Prince of Wales pays tribute to success of black Britons at Powerlist event

The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to the success of black Britons at an event celebrating a list of the UK’s most influential black people.

The Powerlist Black Excellence Awards was launched in 2007 “to showcase black role models to young people”, according to its organisers.

It is distributed for free to schools around the UK.

The 2022 Powerlist featured actor Daniel Kaluuya, England footballer Marcus Rashford and television presenter Alex Scott.

Charles hosted an event at his residence, Clarence House, to honour those listed.

In a speech, he told those gathered that he was “so impressed” by their success.

“I have been so impressed to hear what all of you do and the success you have been having and the way many of you go about trying to find new talent in all sorts of dark corners around the country and everywhere else,” he said.

He said it had been “enormously rewarding” to meet attendees who had been helped by his charity, the Prince’s Trust.

“I think some of you have been helped by my Prince’s Trust at some point in the last 45 years, so meeting one or two of you has been enormously rewarding for me”, he said.

Charles jokingly added that those helped by the trust do not often admit it, until they are “unbelievably successful”.

“I can’t tell you how proud it makes me to find so many people who very often don’t always let on that they were helped by the trust, until finally when they become unbelievably successful”, he said.

Among the attendees were Homeland star David Harewood, Young Vic artistic director Kwami Kwei-Armah, and former UN under-secretary Baroness Amos.

Speaking to the PA news agency at the event, Harewood said he discussed his acting career with the prince.

He added: “We talked about my work, acting work, and also talked about acting.

“I have been out of the county for the past 10 years, he asked me what sort of work I have been doing.

“I explained I have been playing everyone from members of the CIA to high ranking members of the Republican Party.”

He added that it was a “real pleasure” to be surrounded by so many talented people.

“It’s a real pleasure and a real honour to be surrounded, not just by the prince, but by all these fabulously talented people on the black power list”, he said.

This sentiment was echoed by Baroness Amos who said it was “always a pleasure” to come to Clarence House and meet the prince.

“(Charles) has been extraordinary in really working to bring communities together”, she said.

She said she spoke to Charles about her recently becoming a lady companion of the order of the garter.

Earlier, Charles spoke about the war in Ukraine, saying the values of democracy were under attack in the country in the “most unconscionable way” during a ceremony to confer city status on Southend-on-Sea.

Baroness Amos said her heart “went out” to the people of Ukraine.

She added: “My heart goes out when you see those people fleeing.

“The impact of the bombings on innocent civilians – it’s just so appalling – and for absolutely no reason except the ego of President Putin.”