The Prince of Wales, William, has promised to take his children to a homeless charity, just as his mother, Diana, did with him and his brother Harry. During a visit to The Passage, a homeless
charity in central London, William met Sister Joan, who remembered Diana’s private visit to meet rough sleepers with her sons in the early 1990s. The charity is one that William supports as patron, and he officially opened two refurbished accommodation centres during his visit.
Diana played an instrumental role in teaching her sons about the issue of homelessness, taking them to meet rough sleepers when they were young schoolboys. Sister Joan, who remembers Diana’s visit, said that Diana was a beautiful and gentle person who could relate to anyone, and that William had asked her what he should write in the visitors’ book, to which she had replied, “Your name, of course”. The nuns who volunteer at the charity are very much part of its community, and Sister Joan said that William had promised to bring his children to visit them one day.
During his visit to The Passage, William joined an art therapy group where those who had recently left the streets were encouraged to draw images of what home meant to them. The men and women in the group were staying in Passage House, a newly refurbished accommodation area, which is a rapid response assessment centre where their needs and issues can be supported.
One of the group members drew a picture that referred to his mother, and when William enquired about her, the man – identified only by his first name, Colin – said that she had died. The prince offered his condolences, and Colin wiped away a tear. Later, William visited the second refurbished accommodation block, called Bentley House, which offers lifelong flats to 20 individuals. He chatted to new resident Mark Chiverton, 58, who had been living rough intermittently for the last 18 years. Chiverton, a Manchester United fan, soon turned the conversation to football and asked William about his team. William replied, “Villa are doing alright, we’re doing okay – wanna be in the top 10.”
William said during his visit that he was more “determined than ever” to play a role in stopping the “human tragedy that is homelessness”. He has previously spoken about the issue of homelessness and the importance of charities such as The Passage in helping those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. In 2019, he launched the National Emergencies Trust, which provides emergency funding to charities in the UK during times of crisis, such as the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is heartening to see William continuing his mother’s legacy and teaching his own children about the issue of homelessness by taking them to visit charities such as The Passage. Homelessness is a complex issue, and charities such as The Passage play an important role in supporting those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. It is encouraging to see members of the royal family using their platform to raise awareness of this issue and to support charities that are working to address it. Photo by Royal Navy, Wikimedia commons.