Under a gentle London twilight late last month, I arrived at the gates of St. James’s Palace to attend a private reception for Opportunity International UK, hosted by Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, also known as the Princess Royal. The palace has a storied façade, which was commissioned by King Henry VIII between 1531 and 1536.
Entering into the palace’s corridors, through unbelievable layers of security, I was captivated by the beauty of the tapestries hung on the walls celebrating the royal ascendancy and the successes of the royalty, as well as the personal family photos on display of members of the royal family, such as Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and their children — which included then-Prince Charles and, his sister, Princess Anne — their grandchildren and more.
In a rare moment, the Throne Room, a magnificent room featuring an ornate throne chair was open to the guests. St. James’ Palace was built by Henry VIII and developed over time with significant contributions from later monarchs like Queen Anne and Queen Victoria. It is a key space for ceremonial occasions, including the proclamation of new monarchs, which included King Charles III in 2022 where he also held his first Privy Council meeting.
I was beaming with anticipation for the night to come, which was assured to be filled with powerful speeches, dialogue and good fun.
Beyond the Colour Court and the Grand Staircase, I was led toward the Armoury, the Tapestry Room, and then to The Queen Anne Room and the Entrée Room. Since 1859, this immaculate space has welcomed officials from the highest ranks of government from across the world. As they say, “with the right of the Entrée.” The room was flush with a painted ceiling, gilded cornices and magnificent portraits.
From there we glimpsed the Throne Room, which was undergoing preparations for official state business. Further in, from the Upper Corridor, I was able to catch a glimpse of the Chapel Royal’s windows; the subtleties of ceremony, faith, grandeur and governance all packed together was certainly evident.
The guests were arranged in semi-circular horseshoe formations prior to meeting her royal highness. In horseshoe No. 1 stood senior dignitaries, members of the government, and former Prime Minister, Lady Theresa May. I was placed just a few feet away in horseshoe No. 2. Polite and fun dialogue filled the air as strangers shared their excitement of the event to come. Everyone was in a good mood.
Guests stood waiting eagerly to offer greetings to the Princess Royal. As I approached her royal highness, she showed a genuine interest in what I had to say, just as she did with the rest of the guests. The princess undoubtedly had all the magnificence and kindness that you would expect someone of royalty to have. She was kind and gracious beyond words.
She inquired about my work and encouraged support for Opportunity International’s mission — she herself has been patron for almost 30 years.
Opportunity International began in 1971 with the vision of Al Whittaker and David Busceau. Today it operates across 30 countries and is guided by three pillars, agriculture, education and micro-enterprise. It is also motivated by Christian values and embraces individuals of all faiths and backgrounds. In 2024 alone, they released $2.5 billion in capital to 21.2 million unique clients through 146 partnerships with financial service providers. And since their inception, more than $30 billion has been invested and has created a ripple effect of economic opportunity around the globe.
Once the formal greetings concluded, her royal highness addressed the guests. Her speech was concise, yet it was powerful. In her speech, she recounted her 2022 visit to Uganda, where she met women entrepreneurs facing struggles against systemic barriers. Without resources and support, these hard-working women struggled to grow their businesses, earn stable incomes and support their families. Stable businesses provide reliable incomes, create jobs and study employment. Individuals can improve food security, access health care, educate their children and stimulate the local economy.
In a powerful and moving speech, Mary Oakes, CEO of Opportunity International UK, reminded her audience that “one opportunity can change everything.” She shared the story of Vivienne, a refugee in Uganda who fled to Kampala with nothing but her children. With a small loan and the support of Opportunity International, Vivienne transformed a patch of pavement into a thriving business, regained stability and began to dream again. “Her business is more than a source of income,” Oakes said. “It’s a foundation for her family’s future.”
Oakes’ speech underscored the power of empowerment. How one opportunity can turn “an idea into a business, a harvest into a livelihood, a parent into a provider.”
I must admit, during our initial conversation, I found myself in lively conversation with the Princess Royal herself, her insights into the role of media and communications in shaping public perception of philanthropy were insightful. She spoke deeply from her heart about the power of impactful storytelling to give voices to those without one and to inspire others to act.
As the reception concluded, I lingered about to soak in the palace’s opulent surroundings just for a moment before I had to make my exit.
The event felt like a call to action. One to help others, whether through partnering with a large organization such as Opportunity International or by simply going out and being the best person to others you could possibly be.
To find out more about Opportunity International, go to opportunity.org. Armstrong Williams (www.armstrongwilliams.com; @arightside) is a political analyst, syndicated columnist and owner of the broadcasting company, Howard Stirk Holdings. He is also part owner of The Baltimore Sun.