Britain's Prince William launches project seeking to end homelessness

LONDON - Prince William launched a five-year project on Monday which seeks to end homelessness in Britain, saying he was following in the footsteps of his late mother Princess Diana, who had alerted him to the crisis when he was a child.

Prince William, 41, the eldest son of King Charles and the heir to the throne, said the “Homewards” scheme would work in six towns and cities and develop new solutions that could be used across the country. 

“My first visit to a homelessness shelter was when I was 11 with my mother. The visits we made left a deep and lasting impression,” he said. “I met so many extraordinary people and listened to so many heart-breaking personal stories.”

The scheme would be backed by £3 million (S$5.1 million) from the Royal Foundation, his and his wife Kate’s charitable organisation, which will provide funding, expertise and partnerships. 

“Over the next five years, I believe that we have a unique opportunity to develop innovative new solutions and scale tangible impact,” he said in his launch speech at the Mosaic Clubhouse in south London, an organisation which helps people with mental health conditions. 

“Through Homewards, we will demonstrate that together we can finally end homelessness.”

The prince is touring the country on Monday and Tuesday to publicise the project and meet those involved in tackling the issue. 

At the launch event, Prince William was reunited with Mr Dave Wilson, who he joined on the streets of London in 2022 to sell copies of the “Big Issue” magazine, a title that is normally sold by the homeless. 

In 2009, the prince slept rough on a winter’s night to highlight the issue.

According to the Foundation, more than 300,000 people, half of whom are children, are either sleeping rough or in cars, living in temporary accommodation, hostels or with relatives.

Charities have warned that those numbers are expected to rise due to the ongoing cost of living crisis.

The programme, described as “a massive moment for the prince” by his spokesman, is Prince William’s most significant project since he became Prince of Wales following the death of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth last September.

Critics say it was hypocritical for someone with Prince William’s wealth to be talking about battling homelessness.

“The last thing we need is for William to get involved in this issue, a man who has three huge homes and a vast estate gifted to him by the state,” Mr Graham Smith, chief executive of the anti-monarchy group Republic.

“It is crass and hypocritical of William to get involved in this issue.” REUTERS