So far, Prince William and Kate Middleton haven’t made moves in Hollywood like Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, but a recent addition to their team might mean that they also have their eyes on the entertainment space. On Thursday, Kate and William announced that they have hired Amanda Berry, the former head of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to serve as the CEO for their charity, the Royal Foundation. Previously, Berry served as the chief executive of BAFTA, which hosts Britain’s high-profile annual awards show, for 23 years.
William has served as the patron of BAFTA since 2010 and has appeared alongside Kate at the awards show for many years since. In a statement, the duke and duchess praised their new hire. “We are very much looking forward to working with Amanda and are thrilled that she has chosen to join us at the Royal Foundation,” it read. “Her extensive experience will be of tremendous value as we continue our ambitious charitable work.”
The Royal Foundation is the umbrella organization that oversees William and Kate’s various charitable pursuits, including the Earthshot Prize, the Centre for Early Childhood, and United for Wildlife. In a statement about her hire, Berry said she was interested in helping the couple broaden their charitable scope. “I am very excited to be joining The Royal Foundation as it continues to step up the global ambition for the Duke and Duchess’ philanthropic work,” Berry added. “I have witnessed, and am so impressed by, the unique impact The Royal Foundation can make on the issues Their Royal Highnesses support, from mental health to conservation, and raising awareness of the importance of early years.”
The foundation’s former CEO, Jason Knauf, stepped down in December 2021, after three years at the helm of the organization and four years serving as a communications secretary to Kate and William. He also worked with Harry and Meghan until the couple’s households were split in early 2019.
In October 2021, the Earthshot Prize, a project started by William to be the “Nobel Prize” for climate change efforts, awarded its first five awards of $1 million, and announced that the next edition of the event would take place in the United States. A source close to the couple told Vanity Fair that they were interested in expanding their presence in the U.S. “Team Cambridge is very focused on America and making sure they have a high profile over there,” the insider said. “The possibility of them making a high-profile visit is very much on the cards for next year.”
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