Why Princess Diana’s Goddaughter Is Welcoming Guests to a Charity-Run Pub That Changes Lives

In 2016, Princess Diana’s goddaughter Domenica Lawson proudly said she was “trying everything” as she stood inside a pioneering seaside café designed to give young people with learning disabilities real-world experience and a path into work.

Nearly a decade later, the charity created in her honor — Team Domenica — is taking that mission even further, quite literally “trying everything” to open more doors. Its newest venture: a pub. And next month, 30-year-old Domenica will be at the front door on opening night at Café Domenica in Brighton, greeting supporters, friends — and her aunt, chef Nigella Lawson — as they raise a glass to the milestone.

Born with Down syndrome, Domenica is the inspiration behind Team Domenica, which was founded by her mother, Rosa Monckton, 72, to help young adults with learning disabilities develop the confidence and skills needed to join the workforce.

Diana — who died in 1997 when Domenica was two — was a source of strength for her close friend Rosa Monckton and her husband, Dominic Lawson, as they found their footing with their young family, including older daughter Savannah.

“She said, ‘Believe in her, love her and I’ll be there every step of the way,’ ” Monckton previously told PEOPLE. “She came with me to appointments. She was very much by my side.”

Today, Monckton — who became a member of the House of Lords in March 2024 and is now titled Baroness or Lady Monckton — believes hospitality, despite its pressures, is a natural fit for Team Domenica’s trainees.

When the first café opened, it trained 20 candidates; now, the charity supports around 100 students, runs three cafés and a coffee roastery, and partners with businesses across Brighton and surrounding areas. The pub is the next chapter.

“We are now a recognized special education needs college — and we just wanted to have more training opportunities for our candidates,” Lady Monckton tells PEOPLE.

Domenica herself works several days a week at one of the cafés and the roastery, and she’ll be on welcoming duty at the grand opening in December, alongside her best friend.

“We’re calling it the North Star because we guide them into work — that’s what we do — and we are a constant for them, even when they’re in work,” Monckton says.

The project is backed by partner businesses, including trustee Gavin George, co-founder and former CEO of The Laine Pub Company.

“We wanted a warm, elevated and stylish environment that our candidates — and the city — could be proud of,” he says in a statement.

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“The North Star will provide the highest standard of food, drink and service, all delivered by our young people with the expert support of our hospitality team and Training Mentors,” he continues. “From food prep and pouring pints, to table service, they’ll be gaining hands-on experience that prepares them for meaningful employment. We must ensure that our candidates get the best experience possible, so they will begin their training in the new year once our core hospitality team have had chance to bed in.”