Phil Collins’ daughter Lily Collins praises his ‘personal’ act of kindness in rare update

In 1976, Phil Collins became the first-ever ambassador of The King’s Trust (then known as The Prince’s Trust), a non-profit founded to help vulnerable young people aged 11 to 30.

Now, to celebrate the 50th anniversary, Phil, 75, has designed an exclusive T-shirt with original artwork, an act of kindness that daughter Lily hopes will continue to “inspire and give back to this new generation.”

“I’m so proud of my dad’s legacy and his close relationship with The King’s Trust over the past five decades,” Lily said in an exclusive statement to HELLO!

“Supporting and mentoring young people has always been extremely important to him and now, not only through his portfolio of work but also with this T-shirt, he can continue to inspire and give back to this new generation in such a personal and creative way.”

The T-shirt features original hand-drawn illustrations in Phil’s classic black-and-white doodle style, inspired by his lifelong love of music and drumming. It comes two months before The Phil Collins Archive goes under the hammer, hosted by Julien’s Auctions.

“This design is a personal contribution to The King’s Trust’s 50th anniversary celebrations, inspired by the many memorable moments I’ve shared with The Trust over the years. I hope supporters around the world connect with it as much as I enjoyed creating it, and I’m proud that every T-shirt sold will help raise funds to support The King’s Trust’s work with young people,” said Phil.

© Jill Collins

Jill Collins, Phil’s ex-wife and Lily’s mom, who has been involved with the upcoming auction, added: “Over the years, supporting The King’s Trust has meant so much to Phil and I, which is why it’s so special to see my initial idea for this T-shirt form part of the charity’s 50th anniversary celebrations. 

“The artwork comes from Phil’s own creativity and imagination, and it’s wonderful to know that something so personal will help support young people to build brighter futures.”

© Getty Images

The once‑in‑a‑lifetime collection of rock treasures – including the outfit Phil made history in when he became the only artist to perform on two continents in one day, played at Wembley Stadium in London before flying on Concorde to perform in Philadelphia for the 1985 Live Aid event – will raise funds for The King’s Trust.

“I know how involved my dad has been over the years, and I’m very proud of him, and I’m very proud that he wants to continue to be involved and to give back,” Lily previously told HELLO!

Other items up for sale include Phil’s signed steel snare drum, handwritten working lyrics for Genesis’ “That’s All,” (estimate $6,000-$8,000), a No Jacket Required era button-down shirt, worn by Phil in a 1985 photography session (estimate $2,000-$3,000), a tweed coat Phil wore in the 1993 “Both Sides Of The Story” music video (estimate $3,000-$5,000), his iconic striped tie and suspenders (estimate $800-$1,200), other archival treasures offered from Jill and Phil Collins.

© Getty Images

The auction will take place on November 19, 2026.

Phil welcomed Lily in 1989, five years after he married American Jill Tavelman. 

He is also father to daughter Joely, 53, and son Matthew, 49, from his first marriage to Andrea Bertorelli, and sons Nicholas, 24, and Mathew, 21, whom he welcomed with his third wife, Orianne Cevey. They divorced in 2006 but reunited before an acrimonious split in 2020.

© Todd Williamson

In recent years he has retired from the spotlight, and earlier in 2026 revealed that he now  requires a live-in nurse to help him take medication and to assist with mobility. A spinal injury in 2007 caused permanent nerve damage and “drop foot”, a difficulty in lifting the front of the foot when walking. Phil now uses a wheelchair and crutches, and also lives with type 2 diabetes.

“It’s an ongoing thing,” he told the BBC’s Era’s Podcast. “I have a 24-hour live-in nurse to make sure I take my medication as I should do. I’ve had challenges with my knee. I had everything that could go wrong with me, did go wrong with me. I got COVID in hospital. My kidneys started to back up. Everything seemed to converge at the same time.”

© Redferns

He also shared that in 2024 his children were called to Switzerland, where he was living at the time, to say their goodbyes.

“I didn’t have no idea (sic) this was going on. They were all worried that they wouldn’t see me again. It could all have gone so terribly wrong,” he told the Sunday Times.