Prince William could hardly set himself a more ambitious goal. Ending homelessness – that is nothing less than the goal the eldest son of King Charles III has set himself. Finland is the role model, which has drastically reduced homelessness in just a few years. Today the 42-year-old wants to visit a London gallery that exhibits paintings by artists affected by the housing shortage.
William is also trying to raise his profile with the social issue. He has been heir to the British throne since the death of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022 – almost exactly two years ago. But although his popularity ratings are high, he is often in the shadow of his father King Charles III and his wife Princess Kate.
The exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery highlights the magnitude and complexity of homelessness, Kensington Palace said in advance. Visitors should engage with the stories of those who have experienced the problem themselves in order to better understand it.
The issue is clearly close to William’s heart, as royal expert Craig Prescott told the German Press Agency. His mother Princess Diana took him to a homeless shelter when he was eleven years old. “This led to Prince William spending a night on the street and being seen selling the homeless newspaper ‘Big Issue’,” said the constitutional lawyer from the Royal Holloway University of London.
For over a year now, six pilot projects run by William’s Royal Foundation have been running in all parts of the United Kingdom. “Homelessness is a complex social problem that affects the lives of far too many people in our society,” said William on the anniversary of the launch. “But I firmly believe that it can be ended.”
In his Duchy of Cornwall, which William inherited from his father Charles when he became king, he has announced the construction of 24 shelters for those affected. In the autumn, the broadcaster ITV plans to broadcast a documentary about William’s efforts.
In fact, homelessness is one of the most pressing social problems in the UK. It is estimated that there are more than 300,000 people without permanent accommodation in England, and almost 4,000 live on the streets in the largest part of the UK. Charities such as Shelter and Crisis are warning of an increase. The reasons are complex: exploding living costs, higher rents, little affordable housing, low wages and insecure jobs, as well as flaws in the social system.
Just a PR coup?
Not everyone is impressed by William’s project. The anti-monarchy organization Republic calls it a PR campaign. Their argument: If William gave up his duchy and left the high income – for example from land and luxury properties – to the government, that would be a much more powerful weapon against homelessness.
Expert Prescott, however, stresses that the numbers are low. But the construction of social housing on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall could certainly serve as a model. Unlike other royals, William is aiming for concrete projects, says Prescott. The Prince of Wales, as the heir to the throne is officially titled, will soon also be making an appearance in the region of Wales that gives the prince his name. This could be another way to generate headlines.
Brother Harry makes more headlines
This is important for William, as he often seems a little boring compared to his busy father Charles (75) and his glamorous wife Kate (42), who both announced their cancer diagnosis this year. His younger brother Prince Harry is also attracting more interest. Recently, some British tabloid media speculated that the 39-year-old had had enough of life in the USA, where he emigrated a few years ago, and wanted to return to Great Britain. Not an issue at all, other reports said. But: Harry is being discussed, William less so.
This is also due to the strained relationship between the once inseparable brothers. Harry and his wife, Duchess Meghan, have made serious accusations against the Royal Family in interviews, books and TV documentaries. William believes his family is being unfairly attacked. At the recent funeral of their uncle Robert Fellowes, the brothers stood just a few metres away, the newspaper “Sun” reported. But they did not speak to each other.
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