Goddaughter of King Charles III, India Hicks, to speak at Carnegie Museum of Art

Having a king as a godfather is pretty cool. Just ask India Hicks — hers is King Charles III, monarch of the United Kingdom.

Hicks will be in Pittsburgh as the featured guest at the On Dec 2024 presentation and luncheon sponsored by the Women’s Committee of the Carnegie Museum of Art on Thursday. On Dec is a reference to decorative arts, which, along with elements of design, is the focus of the presentation each year.

“I have the great privilege of being the goddaughter to an exceptional man. Quite apart from being a king, he is an absolute gentleman, a very considerate godfather, a leader in the philanthropic world and was thinking in a green and sustainable way before any of us realized the importance of this,” Hicks said via email.

King Charles III wrote the foreword to Hicks’ book “Island Style.” In it he writes about the harmony that needs to exist between the natural environment and the people who inhabit it.

“I think of that often,” Hicks said.

The event will be held at the newly renovated Carnegie Music Hall and Music Hall Foyer, inside the Carnegie Museum of Art in Oakland.

Hicks’ presentation will be at 10:30 a.m.

During her slide-illustrated lecture of the same name as her most recent book, “An Entertaining Story,” the designer will share hints and offer suggestions for creatively and intentionally arranging a tabletop so it conveys a specific theme, mood or experience.

She will incorporate family stories and add “a touch of British royal history,” organizers said.

Born in London to famed interior decorator David Hicks and Lady Pamela Hicks, daughter of the last viceroy of India (because of India’s independence in 1947), India Hicks has designed for home collections and hotels, modeled for Ralph Lauren, authored five books and served as an on-air personality for the BBC and Bravo.

Hicks said her “Mum” is her biggest supporter. The wife and mother of five added that her husband and children “are always ready to do a little bit of cheerleading whenever needed.”

She said fashion and interior design often connect. When she looks at her own interiors, they are reflective of her wardrobe. Hicks said her father’s words, “good taste and design are by no means determined on money,” also applied to the world of entertaining.

In “An Entertaining Story,” she wanted to share moments her family has had over the years, from children’s birthday parties to fundraising dinners — which didn’t always need a big budget and relied much more on wit and imagination.

“It is about understanding who you are and knowing how to say it in your own design language,” she said. “I have no illusions that my taste is in any way better than anyone else’s. It’s just deeply personal. I think my spirit of adventure instinctively weaves itself into all that I love in my life and home, making my designs inviting and, above all, authentic.”

The buzz around Hicks’ visit to the museum is exciting, said Jennifer Muse, Women’s Committee president.

Founded in 1957, the Women’s Committee promotes the cultural and educational value of the Carnegie Museum of Art. The committee has funded the purchase of art, contributed to the museum’s infrastructure and gallery renovations, and participated as a major donor to museum endowment and capital campaigns.

“Our mission of fundraising for Carnegie Museum of Art and drawing a broad audience to the museum serve as the basis for On Dec, but the exhilarating culmination of our efforts is in observing the community’s interest in Ms. Hicks’ presentation,” Muse said.

Hicks, a humanitarian who has traveled the world for Global Empowerment Mission — formed in response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake and delivers aid to people in need — is looking forward to coming to Pittsburgh.

“I always feel greatly honored to be invited to new cities across America,” she said. “Travel is very important to me; travel teaches you respect and to tread lightly as you move about the world.”

Tickets start at $125 and are available here.