THE Prince of Wales says “inspiration and guidance” from his mother, Diana, has been a driving force behind his personal commitment to tackle homelessness.
In a forthcoming ITV documentary, Prince William talks about the profound impact of visits he made to The Passage homelessness shelter with his mother when he was a child – and how it helped him see “outside the palace walls”.
The prince admits he sometimes feels guilty about not being able to do more – and wants to share with his own children a sense of empathy for those facing hardship.
“When I was very small, my mother started talking about homelessness, much like I do now with my children on the school run,” says the prince.
If passion projects reveal something about what drives someone, then perhaps his support for The Passage charity is key to unlocking Prince William’s character.
The Westminster-based charity provides assistance and friendship for London’s homeless and helps them into secure accommodation.
Forged by childhood memories of visits with his mother, the prince’s longtime support for the charity has provided the foundation for his current Homewards project, set up to tackle homelessness across the UK.
“My mother took me to The Passage. She took Harry and I both there. I must have been about 11, I think, probably, at the time. Maybe 10. I’d never been to anything like that before. And I was a bit anxious as to what to expect,” he says in the ITV documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness.
“My mother went about her usual part of making everyone feel relaxed, and having a laugh and joking with everyone.
“I remember at the time, kind of thinking, well, if everyone’s not got a home, they’re all going to be really sad.
“But it was incredible how happy an environment it was,” recalls Prince William.
The Passage has revealed four previously unseen photos of the prince visiting their London base with his mother, the princess, in June and December 1993.
