Prince William wrote a powerful essay highlighting his advocacy for the homeless, which he learned from his mother, Princess Diana, at such a tender age. The Duke of Cambridge said he plans to teach this advocacy to his children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
In his piece on The Big Issue, William said he would continue to bring attention to the problems of homelessness. He said this is actually "solvable" but often overlooked and misunderstood.
William also said that for his 40th birthday on June 21, he's hoping George, Charlotte, and Louis will pick up on the same interest and become advocates for the homeless. The Duke of Cambridge hinted that more of his work would focus on the homeless, and he wants his kids to be part of the organizations that support their needs.
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Prince William Will Use His Mother's Guiding Principles
The Duke of Cambridge also stated that his mother "instinctively knew" the steps to fix the problems of homelessness. He was 11 years old when Princess Diana brought him along for a visit to The Passage, a homeless shelter. Over the years, even after his mother's sudden passing, William frequented The Passage to talk to the homeless and know what they needed.
The grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in the history of the world, also acknowledged that there had been initiatives aimed at homelessness that worked and didn't work. However, he also recognized The Big Issue for the organization's efforts to raise awareness for this advocacy.
William said that the organization was launched just two years ago, at the height of the pandemic, but it provided a solution for people in the streets to "earn a legitimate income" by selling copies of the magazine. The royal tried his hand on the streets and managed to sell about 32 copies during his short stint, according to People.
The crowd who saw William also stopped for a chat and discussed homelessness issues, including the refugees from Ukraine. The prince said they were nice to him but hopes this will inspire others to support The Big Issue and help its street vendors.
I have always believed in using my platform to help bring attention and action to those who are struggling and I commit to doing what I can to shine a spotlight on this solvable issue not just today, but in the months and years to come. pic.twitter.com/03L0GjphXS
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) June 20, 2022
George and Charlotte Already Curious About Helping the Homeless
In 2019, William shared during a guest stint for a Christmas special that his two older kids, George and Charlotte, have asked about the homeless. They were 6 and 4 years old then and have seen some people sleeping in the streets on their way to school, per Good to Know.
William said that his kids wondered why they couldn't go home, and the father tried his best to explain the problem of homelessness in a way that their young minds could grasp. The royal also thanked his mother for immersing him and his brother, Prince Harry, with the issues of homelessness that they would, otherwise, not know about because of their privileged life.
The Duke of Cambridge said that it was important for his mother to have her sons grow up knowing the real struggles of people beyond the walls of the palace. So, he is immersing his kids in the same lessons he learned from the Princess of Wales.
