I was delighted to welcome His Majesty King Charles lll to Battersea before he toured Apple Headquarters at Battersea Power Station.

His Majesty was given a full tour of Apple’s UK offices by CEO Tim Cook, where he learned about the launch of Apple’s new AI update – Apple Intelligence – and their community and schools programmes.

The highlight of the visit was a meeting with local businesses at the Power Station’s Curated Makers Market in which His Majesty spoke to entrepreneurs who had benefitted from the training and resources of The King’s Trust. It was wonderful to see residents show off their craft, products and services – and I even bumped into a constituent of mine, Kyle Frank, the creator of skincare brand ‘Frank’s Remedies’.

St George’s Primary School students were present and showed their digital artwork, created as part of Apple’s education programme. The crowd moved outside to see the creative pieces projected onto the Power Station’s iconic chimneys, proudly showcasing the creativity of young people in our community.

To finish off the visit, we were treated to a performance from award-winning singer-songwriter Raye, who sang beautiful versions of Christmas carols.

The visit encapsulated the types of collaborations happening in Battersea that support the wealth of talent and innovation we have here. This ensures that everyone has the opportunities to learn, grow and develop their skills, benefitting the local economy as a result.