Back to business: Kate Middleton and Prince William appoint a new CEO in a major shake-up for The Royal Foundation and Guess who is

September calls for a season of renewal and the Prince of Princess of Wales have announced that Sarah Rose will be the new CEO at The Royal Foundation.

September signals a return to the classroom for the Wales’ children and a return to work for their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales. After a summer break spent cruising along the Greek coast, William and Catherine have returned back to their public engagements. Having made both joint and solo appearances, the royal couple have just made a major appointment for one of their most beloved foundations.

In a major shake-up, the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales has confirmed the arrival of Sarah Rose as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective February 2026. The Foundation, which brings together the couple’s most important causes, champions projects such as Homewards – Prince William’s campaign to end homelessness for good – and the Centre for Early Childhood, Catherine’s project devoted to shaping happier, healthier futures for the next generation.

Sarah Rose is no stranger to leadership on a national stage. She brings over 30 years in public service broadcasting, most recently as President of Channel 5 and UK Regional Lead at Paramount, to the role. She succeeds Amanda Berry, who has led the Foundation since 2022 following her twenty-year tenure at BAFTA. Berry will not be retreating entirely from the royal fold: she takes up the newly created role of Global Partnerships Ambassador.

It is, according to a statement released by the Prince and Princess of Wales upon news of the appointment, a huge moment of growth for the Foundation, which is currently redeveloping and scaling several of its flagship programmes. From United for Wildlife’s fight against the illegal wildlife trade to the Community Impact initiative, Rose will inherit a portfolio of projects deeply personal to the Prince and Princess of Wales.

The Royal Foundation is described online as ‘the primary philanthropic and charitable vehicle for The Prince and Princess of Wales, driven by a desire to make a difference’ and acts as the banner under which the couple’s homelessness, early childhood and mental health initiatives sit. Last year, the foundation applied for a new US trademark centred on mental health projects, but the plans were put aside after the Princess’ cancer diagnosis in March.

In the official statement announcing the appointment, Prince William and Kate Middleton said, ‘We are looking forward to welcoming Sarah to The Royal Foundation and to working with her on some of the issues which are closest to our hearts. We are hugely grateful to Amanda for her exceptional leadership over the past three years and are pleased she will continue to work with us in her new role as Global Partnerships Ambassador.’

For her part, Rose expressed equal excitement: ‘I am honoured to be joining The Royal Foundation and am excited by the ambition it has for the future. I’m incredibly proud to have spent 30 years in public service broadcasting and I now look forward to working with Their Royal Highnesses, and the team at the Foundation, to support the vital work they do to tackle some of society’s most urgent challenges.’