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Autonomous control is transforming distribution grids, but governance mechanisms have not kept pace. Without built-in explainability, traceability, human oversight, and safety limits, autonomous systems risk becoming opaque and unaccountable. This article proposes a layered governance architecture that integrates explainable control, audit logs, human override, and safety constraints into a unified framework for autonomous distribution grids. The objective is to clarify how trustworthy autonomy can be designed before deployment rather than repaired after failure. The architecture is designed conceptually, with four interacting layers that address distinct governance needs. Implementation scenarios and a validation checklist are used to illustrate how the framework can guide planning, procurement, and regulatory review. The architecture defines clear roles and interfaces for each layer, ensuring that autonomous decisions remain transparent, auditable, overridable, and safe. Two tables summarize the layer responsibilities and provide a governance assessment checklist for future use. The proposed architecture offers a blueprint for building trustworthy autonomous distribution grids that meet emerging regulatory and societal expectations. It emphasizes governance as a design requirement rather than an external compliance burden.