Prince William Addresses Criticism of Privilege While Advocating to End Homelessness

 

Prince William has opened up about how criticism of his affluent lifestyle and multiple residences motivates him in his mission to combat homelessness in Britain. The heir to the throne made these comments in a two-part ITV documentary titled Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, which airs this week.

In the documentary, William responds to remarks made by Graham Smith, chief executive of the anti-monarchist group Republic. Smith pointed out that homelessness is largely a result of government policy and insufficient investment, suggesting that charity and royal patronage alone will not resolve the issue. Addressing this critique, William stated, “I think if I answered every critic, I’d be here all day. But you know, criticism drives you forward.”

He expressed a firm belief in the need for change, saying, “I think it’s right to question, but ultimately, we are pushing forward to deliver change and hope and optimism into a world that frankly has had very little of it for a long time. I hope I can bring something that’s not been done before.”

The documentary chronicles William's efforts during the first year of his five-year initiative, Homewards, which aims to demonstrate effective strategies for preventing homelessness. In one segment, he visits Nansledan, near Newquay, where the Duchy of Cornwall is constructing 24 new homes. “I’m not sitting here saying I’m going to solve the entire world’s homelessness problems. But I am going to show people how to prevent homelessness,” he asserts.

Currently, over 350,000 individuals in Britain are without a permanent home, with estimates suggesting that more than 130,000 young people aged 16 to 24 are either homeless or at risk of homelessness.

William also revealed that he has engaged his children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—in conversations about homelessness during their school runs. Earlier this year, the local council in Windsor addressed 101 homelessness cases, including 25 rough sleepers. “The first few times I thought, do I bring this up? Or should I wait and see if any of them noticed? And sure enough, they did, and they were just sort of in silence after I had said what was going on,” he recalled. “And I do think it’s really important that you start those conversations when the children are small, so that they understand the world around them and they’re not just living in their own little worlds.”