How Prince William's Life's Ambition Grew From Seed Sown by Princess Diana

Prince William has launched a new five-year initiative aiming to show that it is possible to end homelessness in modern society, continuing the work he was first introduced to by his mother, Princess Diana, in the early 1990s.

William has been a passionate supporter of homeless charities throughout his life as a working royal and his "Homewards" program is the next step in his ambition to make the issue "rare, brief and unrepeated."

Homewards has been developed between the Prince and Princess of Wales' Royal Foundation and six locations across the U.K. to provide them with tools, expertise, funding and space to support homeless members of their communities.

Speaking of the new program, William said, per a press release: "In a modern and progressive society, everyone should have a safe and secure home, be treated with dignity and given the support they need.

"Through Homewards, I want to make this a reality and over the next five years, give people across the U.K. hope that homelessness can be prevented when we collaborate.

"I am fortunate to have seen first-hand the tireless work of people and organizations across the sector, the tangible impact their efforts can have and what can be done when communities are able to focus on preventing homelessness, rather than managing it.

"It's a big task, but I firmly believe that by working together it is possible to make homelessness rare, brief, and unrepeated and I am very much looking forward to working with our six locations to make our ambition a reality."

The program's launch comes as the prince recently gave his first newspaper interview earlier in June, discussing his work with the homeless and noting the juxtaposition between his life as a royal prince and those who find themselves without safe places to live.

Though previously admitting he may appear "one of the most unlikely advocates for this cause," he told the Times of London he remained dedicated and continued that there were plans to develop "social housing" within the Duchy of Cornwall estates, the multi-million dollar property portfolio he inherited the guardianship of when his father, King Charles III, acceded to the throne.

This move is an example of the prince's diversification of the established form that past royals have used to shape their charity work, a shift that was driven by his mother, Princess Diana, when she separated (and later divorced) Charles in the 1990s.

In 1992, the princess became the patron of Centrepoint, a charity that focuses on helping young homeless people. In 2022 more than 120,000 young people between 16 and 24 in the U.K. either had no home or were at risk of being without one.

In 1993, when he was 11, Diana first introduced William to the issue of homelessness, taking him on one of her personal visits to Centrepoint and introducing him to staff and service users.

The visit and those made afterwards had a profound affect on William, so much so that in 2005, the first royal patronage he accepted was that of Centrepoint, which was left vacant after his mother's tragic death in 1997.

Another charity that Diana introduced William to, and which he is now also patron of, is The Passage, an organization that seeks to prevent homelessness before people reach the streets, as well as providing services to those who do find themselves without a safe place to live.

Diana first took William to The Passage in 1993, and she explained later that this was part of her plan to make the monarchy a more compassionate institution that was in closer contact with the lives of normal people.

The princess' comments were made during her controversial 1995 interview with the BBC's Panorama program, which was later condemned after an independent inquiry in 2021 found that interviewer, Martin Bashir, had used deceitful methods to convince the princess to take part.

When asked if she believed the monarchy "needs to adapt and to change in order to survive?" in the interview, Diana responded: "I understand that change is frightening for people, especially if there's nothing to go to. It's best to stay where you are. I understand that.

"But I do think that there are a few things that could change, that would alleviate this doubt, and sometimes complicated relationship between monarchy and public. I think they could walk hand in hand, as opposed to be so distant."

When asked what steps she was taking to make this change possible, the princess referenced her work with homelessness and introducing her children to subjects that may have previously been taboo in privileged circles.

"With William and Harry, for instance, I take them around homelessness projects, I've taken William and Harry to people dying of AIDS—albeit I told them it was cancer—I've taken the children to all sorts of areas where I'm not sure anyone of that age in this family has been before," she explained.

"And they have a knowledge. They may never use it, but the seed is there, and I hope it will grow because knowledge is power."

She concluded: "I want them to have an understanding of people's emotions, people's insecurities, people's distress, and people's hopes and dreams."

Both William and Prince Harry have continued their mother's charitable legacy in different areas since her death, with William taking a particular interest in the issue of homelessness.

In 2022, to mark his 40th birthday, William spoke of his determination to help tackle the issue, and of his desire to continue his mother's work with his own children.

"For my part, I commit to continue doing what I can to shine a spotlight on this solvable issue not just today, but in the months and years to come," he said in an editorial for magazine The Big Issue.

"And in the years ahead, I hope to bring George, Charlotte and Louis to see the fantastic organisations doing inspiring work to support those most in need—just as my mother did for me.

"As she instinctively knew, and as I continue to try and highlight, the first step to fixing a problem is for everyone to see it for what it truly is."

To launch the Homewards program, the prince will undertake a two-day tour of the six start-up sites across the U.K., which it is hoped by the end of the five-year commitment from the Royal Foundation, will be in a position that can be replicated around the country and the world to help bring an end to homelessness.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

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