Prince William’s intervention on homelessness is his most political yet, royal experts say
Prince William’s pledge to help end homelessness may be seen as a “profoundly political” intervention from an heir to the throne seeking to draw a line under the Windsors’ troubles, according to a royal historian.
The Prince of Wales is expected in the coming days to unveil the details of an ambitious five-year project to address homelessness, in particular among the young.
It will include plans to build social housing on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, the sprawling royal estate which provides him with an income of more than £20m a year.
In his first interview since becoming heir to the throne, William told a Sunday newspaper that he hopes his scheme, which will be run by the Royal Foundation charity he heads with the Princess of Wales, will have a “tangible impact” on the issue.
The initiative is the first indication of the direction in which William wishes to take his tenure as heir to the throne – a role in which his father was sometimes criticised for being too outspoken.
The prince insisted that he was not commenting on government policy, telling The Sunday Times that he shares the view that the royal family must remain “above politics” and his project is intended to be an addition to existing efforts.
At the same time, William expressed frustration at the wider handling of homelessness by suggesting that central government, councils and charities have for too long been “managing” the problem rather than “preventing” it.
William was famously introduced to the issue of homelessness as an 11-year-old boy when his mother, Princess Diana, took him and his brother to a London shelter
Senior royals have long trodden a line between raising issues of social concern and being seen to “meddle” in the minutiae of policy. Prior to becoming monarch, the King vigorously pursued his interest in environmental issues but was criticised in some quarters for the so-called “black spider” memos – letters sent privately to government ministers putting forward his forthright views on numerous issues.
Prince Harry earlier this month strayed into normally forbidden territory of direct political criticism by a member of the royal family when he told his High Court phone hacking trial that he believed “our press and our government” are at “rock bottom”.
Royal sources emphasised that Prince William has been involved with the issue of homelessness for 30 years and that full details of the Royal Foundation scheme, which it is understood by i will involve working with homelessness groups, remain under wraps.
But a royal historian told i that the heir to the throne is at risk of being seen as “capturing” a cause which successive governments have failed to address. Ed Owens, author of the forthcoming book on the future of the monarchy, After Elizabeth, told i: “The impact of this kind of royal philanthropy is also more complex than it at first seems. Whilst on the surface William’s plans seem admirable, they are also profoundly political and speak to much deeper failings within Britain to properly address the social ill of homelessness.”
In his Sunday Times interview, William appeared to nod to the royal family’s recent trials, ranging from the death of the Queen to the enduringly fractious relationship with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Acknowledging that public support of the royal family is not universal (polling released ahead last month’s coronation showed just 32 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds backed the monarchy, with 38 per cent preferring an elected head of state), the prince said: “We’re all very busy and I think it’s hard sometimes to see what the family bring and what we do.”
Dr Owens pointed out that the British monarchy has aligned itself with social justice issues as far back as the reign of Queen Victoria, when her consort Prince Albert sought to improve the quality of workers’ housing. More recently, while Prince of Wales, the King ensured that the Duchy of Cornwall’s Poundbury “model town” development in Dorset included a high proportion – 35 per cent – of affordable housing.
Dr Owens said: “We have to ask ourselves why the royal family has done this. Partly, of course, it’s about well-intentioned philanthropy. But it’s also about trying to maintain visible connections to the poorest and most vulnerable in society: the royals have long recognised that their public images as sympathetic, caring individuals are enhanced when they align themselves with the interests of these social groups.”
While still in his 20s, Prince William raised awareness of the issue of rough sleeping in 2009 by spending a night sleeping near Blackfriars Bridge with Ceyi Obakin, chief executive of Centrepoint. Centrepoint is one of two homelessness charities – along with the Passage – of which the heir to the throne is a patron.
A former royal aide told i: “I don’t think there is particularly a clash between engaging with those who are disadvantaged in our society and showing that the royal family care about these issues. William’s dedication to this cause is heartfelt and authentic. He is motivated by making a difference, just as his mother was.”
The heir to the throne said he wanted to repeat his own experience as a child by bringing his children to a homeless shelter so they could understand the nature of the problem. William said he was particularly concerned by youth homelessness, pointing to a figure suggesting there are some 122,000 16 to 24-year-olds in Britain at risk of being without a permanent home. He said: “For me, 122,000 is a figure that’s way too high. We need to get ahead of the curve to stop this becoming more and more fixed.”
