The King’s Trust Doc Lands on Netflix

Netflix has clinched a partnership with King Charles III and Idris Elba for a documentary about The King’s Trust as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Elba was the beneficiary of a grant from the Trust (then The Prince’s Trust) that allowed him to pursue a career in acting. In the film, he will accompany King Charles as he offers insights into his support for the Trust. 22 Summers, a production company founded by Elba and Diene Petterle, is making the film.

The special begins filming this week for a Netflix launch in the fall of next year. Ashley Francis-Roy is directing, with Petterle, Jonathan Smith and Eva Omaghomi as executive producers and Clare Bradbury as showrunner. The production team will include young people who, like Elba, benefited from the Trust.

Elba said: “The King’s Trust gave me an opportunity that changed my life. At a time when I didn’t have the resources to pursue my ambitions, they offered real, practical support—including financial help‚that helped me take those first steps to advance my career. Today, through the Elba Hope Foundation, I’m focused on creating those same opportunities for young people who are full of potential but lacking access. Around the world, millions are still waiting for that one door to open. This documentary is about shining a light on what’s possible when it does — and why the work of The King’s Trust remains so important.”

Jonathan Townsend, U.K. chief executive of The King’s Trust, added, “At its heart, this is a documentary about the power of believing in young people. It’s about an idea, driven by a young Prince who was determined to make a positive difference, that when young people are supported to succeed, we all succeed. Almost 50 years on, the momentum behind this idea has seen more than 1.3 million young people supported in over 20 countries around the world, including more than a million in the U.K. alone, through the work of The King’s Trust. Nobody understands the impact of this work better than those who have experienced the support we offer first hand. As a long-term supporter and former beneficiary of The Trust himself, Idris will undoubtedly bring a unique perspective to this groundbreaking documentary as he peels back the layers of our story and shows how our life-changing work is as relevant today as it has ever been.”