King Charles III Is Working On A Netflix Documentary

In 2026, The King’s Trust (formerly known as The Prince’s Trust), will turn 50 years old – meaning it’s almost half a century since the Prince of Wales set up his own foundation to help young vulnerable people shift their lives back on track.

How best to celebrate 50 years? With a Netflix documentary, naturally. King Charles III is officially teaming up with the streaming giant along with actor and activist Idris Elba to reflect on 50 years of his charity. Here’s what you need to know.

King Charles III’s Netflix Documentary: All The Details

Announced by Netflix today (20 June), the King’s upcoming documentary is underpinned by a very touching connection: as a young man, globally famous actor Idris Elba was the beneficiary of a grant from The Prince’s Trust, a charity set up by the then-Prince of Wales to help young people access the life of their dreams. What a success story. That small but life-changing opportunity helped Elba study acting, opening the doors to a life he has achieved – and he is just one of the 1 million young people helped by the charity worldwide.

‘The King’s Trust gave me an opportunity that changed my life,’ Elba says. ‘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.’

In a new Netflix documentary, Elba will team up with King Charles to look back on five decades of the Trust, now called The King’s Trust in line with Charles’ ascension to the British throne. Directed by Ashley Francis-Roy, Charles will offer a rare glimpse into his support for the charity.

The yet-to-be-titled documentary will also be produced by Elba’s company, 22 Summers. Among the production team will be young people who are being supported by the Trust to build experience in film and television. The King’s Trust’s chief executive Jonathan Townsend says the documentary will be all 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,’ he says.

‘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 UK alone, through the work of The King’s Trust,’ Jonathan adds. ‘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.’

Today, Elba is known for his own work helping young people, having founded the Elba Hope Foundation with his wife Sabrina, and been vocal on issues such as knife crime, gang violence and the climate crisis. ‘I’m focused on creating those same opportunities for young people who are full of potential but lacking access,’ he says. ‘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.’

Release Date

The King’s Trust documentary will be released in autumn 2026, in line with the 50th anniversary of The King’s Trust. Filming will begin next week.

Upon its release, the documentary will be available to stream on Netflix. netflix.com