A Highgate humanitarian has pledged a minimum £1million to help autistic and disabled children.

American socialite Quentin Esme Brown met with the UK philanthropist John Caudwell on May 11 to join the growing number of high-profile backers of his Life-Changers Circle.

The Life-Changers Circle was established by the Phones4U founder in 2020 in a bid to create a global network of philanthropists.

Membership to the network requires a commitment to donate £1million, with seven inductees already signed up.

A native New Yorker, Esme moved to Highgate in January 2020, with her husband and young son.

She is the daughter of the late real estate developer Harry Joe Brown Jr, and granddaughter of Hollywood mogul, Harry Joe Brown and actress Sally Eilers.

Esme said it was an "honour" to join the Life Changer's Circle and donate to John's charity Caudwell's Children.

“This will be my first time engaging philanthropically in the disability sector," she said.

"My career thus far is comprised of prisoner advocacy, housing solutions for homeless women and their families, refugee aid, peer counselling, and support of underage victims of the sex trade.

"Caudwell Children’s holistic approach to helping disabled and autistic children, however, will be anything but foreign to me."

Caudwell Children is a national charity which provides practical and emotional support for autistic and disabled children.

"John is a philanthropic visionary and a force to be reckoned with and I could not be more grateful to unite with Caudwell Children," Esme added.

"Having PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and two rare and incurable neurological disorders, myself, I am no stranger to the importance of diagnostics and early intervention.

"When health is in question, knowledge is power. The continuation of research and understanding of childhood conditions is paramount and Caudwell Children is able to provide disabled children and their families access to hope and support; a poetic and effective solution to the otherwise common feeling of isolation and powerlessness.

"Focused on family inclusivity and 'big picture' thinking, Caudwell Children supports the village as much as the child — a method of healing which produces the best results, in every program I’ve ever worked with."

John said he was "thrilled" that Esme has joined the Life-Changers Circle "and incredibly grateful for her generous donation to the charity".