Prince William, the Prince of Wales, is charting a significant five-year campaign to combat homelessness, a problem he deems unfitting for a “modern and progressive society”.
His charitable organization has committed £3m to transform homelessness into a “rare, brief and unrepeated” occurrence. To experiment with different strategies for homelessness reduction, six locations across the UK have been chosen.
Drawing on the empathy instilled by his mother, Princess Diana, who introduced him to homelessness charities in his youth, Prince William is passionately addressing this issue.
Currently, over 300,000 individuals are homeless across the UK, living in circumstances as varied as hostels, cars, or on the streets.
The prince’s ambitious project, “Homewards”, intends to not only reduce homelessness but also shift societal attitudes towards this widespread issue.
As part of his strategy, the prince has inaugurated an affordable housing initiative specifically designed for young employed individuals needing accommodation support.
He aims to establish local alliances encompassing housing experts, charities, and private sector entities to develop housing projects and supportive services. The initiative targets different manifestations of homelessness, from metropolitan areas to coastal towns.
Prince William’s commitment to the cause will see him embark on a two-day tour across the UK to unveil the initiative’s locations, backed by charities such as Shelter, Centrepoint, Crisis, and The Passage.
To measure the success of “Homewards”, the prince’s team plans to assess the decrease in homelessness in these locations and identify effective methods for broader implementation.
To broaden his understanding, the prince has also looked to Finland, a country that has significantly minimized homelessness. Interestingly, an Ipsos opinion poll involving over 3,000 UK adults reflects widespread public concern and support for intervention.
The results showed 85% regard homelessness as a severe issue, 72% believe it has worsened in the past year, and 73% think efforts to end homelessness are not prioritized enough.
Yet, Prince William faces criticism from some quarters. Graham Smith, a representative of the anti-monarchy group, Republic, deemed his involvement in the issue as “hypocritical”, citing the prince’s wealth and property ownership.
Smith argued that the roots of homelessness lie in government policies and investment, rather than an issue to be resolved by charity or royal patronage.
But a Kensington Palace spokesman countered these accusations and emphasized the prince’s use of his public visibility is to enact positive change.
“This isn’t about a PR stunt. This is about trying to change the way that we, as a society, think about homelessness,” the spokeman stated.
Authenticity in the prince’s commitment was vouched for by Matt Downie, CEO of the charity Crisis. He said, “People who are experiencing homelessness can smell when someone’s not authentic.”
“I certainly can see the difference between people who want to associate for PR purposes in this issue and people who are genuinely driven by righting one of society’s wrongs, and I saw that deeply there,” he expressed.
Professor Pauline Maclaran, a royal author and academic, suggests that the prince’s proactive approach will resonate with the younger generation. However, she believes it necessitates a visible personal contribution.
His Royal Foundation is providing £500,000 in seed funding to each of the six regional centers for the project, though there’s no confirmation about social housing plans for his Duchy of Cornwall estate.
Historian Sir Anthony Seldon maintains that Prince William’s initiative underscores how royal interventions can address broader societal issues, like mental health, environment, and economic conditions, beyond political cycles.
Despite fears of a “national homelessness crisis” amid rising mortgage and rent prices, Prince William remains hopeful.
“I want to make this a reality and, over the next five years, give people across the UK hope that homelessness can be prevented when we collaborate,” he stated.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has commended the prince’s initiative, promising £2bn over three years to help councils address homelessness and rough sleeping.
