Apple CEO Tim Cook Hosts King Charles III at UK Headquarters

Friday December 13, 2024 6:23 am PST by Hartley Charlton

As part of his ongoing visit to the United Kingdom, Apple CEO Tim Cook yesterday hosted His Majesty King Charles III at its headquarters in Battersea Power Station.

Apple Battersea community impact Tim Cook and King Charles III
During the visit, Cook welcomed King Charles to Apple's campus in the iconic Battersea Power Station, a recently restored historic building that became home to Apple's UK operations in 2023. Battersea Power Station's conversion into Apple's UK headquarters represents a significant step up in the company's presence in London. The historic building, once a coal-fired power station designed to supply west London with electricity, has been transformed from a derelict building into a modern office campus that houses over 1,400 employees.

The King toured the facility, meeting Apple employees, students from local schools, and members of the British creative community. The visit included a showcase of Apple's educational initiatives in collaboration with The King's Trust, a UK-based nonprofit, with a focus on providing young people with educational opportunities and skills development.

Young people affiliated with the charity demonstrated coding projects they developed using Apple's tools and resources. Children from nearby St. George's Primary School also participated, creating holiday-themed artwork on iPads, which were later projected onto Battersea Power Station's iconic chimneys.

We were honored to welcome His Majesty King Charles to Apple Battersea — our home in the UK — and we're proud to support The King's Trust in its vital work educating and empowering young people. We look forward to our continued growth here, building on more than 40 years of history in the United Kingdom.

The event concluded with a community-focused holiday concert by award-winning British musician RAYE, held in the atrium of Battersea Power Station. Cook also presented King Charles with an etched plaque to commemorate his visit.

Apple's engagement with the UK creative sector was also highlighted by a recent collaboration with Aardman, the acclaimed animation studio behind Wallace & Gromit. The two entities partnered to create a stop-motion animation using the iPhone 16 Pro Max's camera system. The short film started being projected onto Battersea Power Station's chimneys earlier this month.

Tags: Tim Cook, United Kingdom

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Top Rated Comments

icanhazmac

24 months ago

Thanks for the reminder, time to listen to Animals ('https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4KQae9oMWs')!

What an awesome building! Glad it has been preserved and not demolished.

Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Cromulent

24 months ago

Remind me again why anyone cares about this "royal" family?

I mean he is head of state of the UK so pretty important given that the UK is one of the top 7 economies in the world.

Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Ctrlos

24 months ago

Not sure if any of the sites' US audience have seen it up close before. The offices are on the top couple storeys with the rest being a rather posh shopping centre. I took these shots whilst visiting last Christmas. Besides an ordinary-looking Apple Store on the ground floor you'd never know it was Apple's HQ. There is no external corporate livery or anything, just an unassuming elevator inside.

Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)

knappeduivel

24 months ago

I mean it's largely just a modern building behind a facade, but such is life in the UK.

Every building needs a facade. Nothing wrong with having an beautifull one.

Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Ctrlos

24 months ago

Remind me again why anyone cares about this "royal" family?

They represent a bloodline that goes back over 1000 years*. Its a living link to our shared history on both sides of the atlantic. They royal family costs the average taxpayer £1.29 per annum, hardly enough to buy a bar of chocolate. They bring in a net £2bn in tourism annually.

*Some Pedant will point out that the current dynasty started when William the Conquerer planted his flag after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, however the current house is simultaneously descended from Harold Godwinson who lost. His lineage goes back even further to the House of Wessex (865 or further)

Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)