Bafta chief Amanda Berry is set to lead the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Royal Foundation, Kensington Palace has announced.
illiam and Kate have appointed Ms Berry as the new CEO of their non-profit organization.
The Duke is President of the arts charity Bafta and has met Ms Berry many times over the years, with Kate also being greeted by her at the Bafta awards ceremony.
William accompanied by Amanda Berry at the 2014 Baftas (Yui Mok/PA)
William and Kate said in a joint statement: “We are extremely excited to be working with Amanda and are thrilled that she has chosen to join us at the Royal Foundation.
“Your extensive experience will be of tremendous value as we continue our ambitious charitable work.”
Kensington Palace said Ms Berry will lead the foundation as “it continues to implement an ambitious new strategy, mobilizing leaders, businesses and people to tackle society’s biggest challenges together”.
Ms Berry, who joined Bafta in 1998 and became chief executive in 2000, said: “I am delighted to join the Royal Foundation as it further enhances the global ambition for the Duke and Duchess’ philanthropic work.
“I have witnessed and been so impressed by the unique impact the Royal Foundation is able to bring to the issues their Royal Highnesses support, from mental health to conservation and raising awareness of the importance of the early years.”
Amanda Berry joins Cambridges Foundation as Key Assistant (Ian West/PA)
video of the day
Foundation initiatives include the development of the Earthshot Prize, Kate’s Royal Foundation Center for Early Childhood and United for Wildlife.
She will take office in June.
Her appointment comes after the foundation’s previous chairman, Jason Knauf, announced his retirement last year.
The royal aide Mr Knauf has previously filed a bullying complaint against the Duchess of Sussex.
He was working for the Sussexes as their communications secretary when, in October 2018, he emailed his concerns about Meghan, who denies the allegations, to Williams’ then-private secretary, in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to protect staff.
Former Executive Director of the Royal Foundation Jason Knauf (Dominic Lipinski/PA)
The Duchess later apologized to the Court of Appeal during her privacy case against the Mail on Sunday for not recalling the exchange with Mr Knauf.
The assistant had revealed how he discussed the Finding Freedom biopic several times with the Duchess, who gave him several briefing points to share with the writers.
Her lawyers had previously told the High Court that any suggestion that Meghan worked on the book about the Sussexes was a “conspiracy theory”.
https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/william-and-kate-appoint-bafta-chief-executive-as-head-of-their-royal-foundation-41506905.html William and Kate appoint the Bafta boss to head their Royal Foundation