Prince William has revealed he plans to teach his children about homelessness, in the same way his mother Princess Diana taught him — by taking them to see the work done by organisations doing good in the world.
Writing exclusively in The Big issue, the prince also stressed that homelessness is not “some entrenched phenomenon over which we have little power” and he fears it will get worse.
“Homelessness is not an irrevocable fact of life. It is an issue that can be solved,” he writes in this week’s edition of the magazine, finally revealing the story behind pictures of the prince which went viral around the world recently after he spent an hour selling magazines in central London alongside veteran vendor Dave Martin.
In a rare and candid first-person article, William shares how his mother, Princess Diana, inspired his work with people experiencing homelessness after she took him to visit a shelter at just 11 years old.
“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,” he said.
Diana was a patron of youth homelessness charity Centrepoint and Prince William is continuing her legacy in a similar role as a patron of the charity. In 2009 he spent a night sleeping on the street in London to raise awareness about the charity and its mission.