King Charles III attended the British Asian Trust’s Annual Dinner and Reception in London, where guests from entertainment, business and philanthropy gathered.

The event raised more than £1m to support the charity’s initiatives across South Asia.

Held at the Peninsula London, the gala highlighted the organisation’s impact in the region and its ongoing work to support vulnerable communities.

As the Trust’s Royal Founding Patron, the King was welcomed alongside supporters and partners of the charity.

Hitan Mehta OBE, Chief Executive of the British Asian Trust, said: “We are grateful for the continued interest our Royal Founding Patron, His Majesty The King, takes in the Trust’s work.

“His deep and longstanding support for the British Asian Trust is a source of inspiration for our ambitions.

“Tonight, we also celebrate the extraordinary impact being delivered across South Asia, made possible by the commitment and generosity of the British Asian diaspora and our wider partners.”

Guests also watched a short film about the charity’s origins, tracing its beginnings to the 2007 India-Pakistan charity cricket match that inspired the creation of the British Asian Trust.

Following the screening, the King was presented with a framed photograph from the historic event.

The evening included a performance by British R&B singer Jay Sean and was sponsored by Westcombe Group, OakNorth and Godwit Travel.

Founded in 2007, the British Asian Trust works with marginalised communities across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The charity says it has reached more than 18.8m people since its launch.

Funds raised at the gala will support programmes focused on child protection, education, mental health, livelihoods and environmental conservation.

Among the Trust’s recent achievements, it secured a PKR 1 billion government guarantee for Pakistan’s first outcomes-based employment financing programme.

In India, it launched a $4m Nano Entrepreneurship Sustainability and Transformation Outcomes Facility to help nano entrepreneurs increase their incomes.

The Trust also reported a 98% reduction in human and elephant casualties in project areas working to reduce human-wildlife conflict.

The event marked nearly two decades of the Trust’s work and celebrated the role of the British Asian community in supporting positive change across South Asia.