Prince William has a special plan lined up for this year’s commemoration of Princess Diana’s birthday. On what would have been her 64th birthday, the Duke of Cambridge is making strides in his mission inspired by his mother. As he honours this significant day, Prince William will be highlighting the progress of his campaign to combat homelessness, a cause deeply connected to his late mother’s legacy.
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July 1 marks Princess Diana’s birthday, and this year, Prince William will be in Sheffield, northern England, to acknowledge the second anniversary of his initiative, Homewards. The goal of this campaign is to make homelessness “rare, brief and unrepeated,” in keeping with Diana’s compassionate spirit and advocacy for the homeless. As a young boy, Prince William accompanied his mother to shelters, witnessing firsthand her efforts to raise awareness about homelessness. Continuing her work, William has taken on roles as patron of organizations that Diana supported, such as Centrepoint and The Passage.
The impact of Homewards is already evident across six pilot areas, with over 100 projects underway. Notably, over $50 million in funding has been secured from Lloyds Bank to aid in housing development across these regions. This financial backing is viewed as a groundbreaking achievement by Homewards, and they hope it will inspire other institutions to invest in affordable housing projects.
In preparation for his visit, Prince William penned an open letter to the regions participating in Homewards. He commended their progress and encouraged them to continue their efforts in addressing homelessness. William expressed his pride in the collective impact achieved thus far and called for a continued focus on preventing homelessness, especially for groups at a high risk of being affected.
According to Lydia Stazen, a former Executive Director, Homewards has made significant progress in building networks and laying foundations for lasting outcomes. The timing of the initiative has been crucial, coming after the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Stazen highlights how Homewards has injected fresh energy into the sector and brought in new resources and partners to drive the campaign forward.
Polly Neate, former CEO of U.K. charities Shelter and Women’s Aid, lauds Homewards for tackling the sense of disempowerment and defeat that often surrounds homelessness. By promoting the message that homelessness can be prevented and ended, Prince William is making a significant impact. Neate emphasises the importance of moving beyond crisis intervention and addressing the systemic issues that lead to homelessness.
On his visit, Prince William will engage with representatives from the participating regions to discuss their locally tailored solutions through Homewards. He will also visit a school in Sheffield to witness the implementation of an early intervention model aimed at supporting young people at risk of homelessness. Inspired by successful global strategies like the Geelong Project in Australia, this initiative showcases how Homewards is adapting proven methods to drive real change at a local level.
Prince William’s involvement in Homewards reflects his commitment to empowering innovative solutions and practical projects in the fight against homelessness. By recognising and supporting local experts and community leaders, William aims to make a tangible difference in addressing homelessness. His leadership and passion have been instrumental in driving the success of Homewards over the past two years.