The UK is experiencing the worst homelessness crisis in living memory: more than 350,000 people across Britain now lack a permanent home. In June 2023, Prince William launched a Royal Foundation , Homewards, to “demonstrate that together it’s possible to end homelessness – making it rare, brief and unrepeated”. Prince William: We Can End Homelessness , ITV1’s two part documentary, followed Homewards’ inaugural year.
“I can’t pretend I understand homelessness,” Prince William said, speaking from Kensington Palace, in an antique-filled room that was the very definition of quiet luxury. It might have been a little tasteless, but at least the Prince made made no attempt to deny his tremendous privilege. “Why else would I be here, if I’m not using this role to influence and help people where I can?” William was inspired by his mother, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, who had a long and close relationship with homelessness charities.
He recalled, affectingly, accompanying his mother on her visits to homelessness charity The Passage from an early age, and his interviews cut between footage of him returning to make and serve their Christmas lunch. He has felt tremendous guilt “that I’m not doing more to help.” The cameras followed William attending a meeting with leaders of the five leading homelessness charities in the UK: Shelter, Crisis, The Big Issue, Centrepoint and The Passage.
He met outreach workers and those who have been, and are, homeless an.