Prince of Wales plans to play significant role in ending homelessness

The plight of homelessness in the United Kingdom has been pulling at Prince William’s heartstrings, as the 40-year-old royal pledges to play a significant role in ending the problem.

Prince William visited The Passage, a homelessness service in London, on Thursday to commemorate the opening of its new accommodation buildings and introduce himself to people who now reside there.

The Prince of Wales is already a patron of The Passage, as he initiated the upwards of 10 million USD project that contributed 20 flats in one unit and 37 beds in another for those without a bed to sleep in London.

The struggle with homelessness

The Prince of Wales said that he is determined to help end the “human tragedy that is homelessness” in the United Kingdom, using stark imagery in his speech.

“I am personally more determined than ever to play my part in working with others to do all we can to stop the human tragedy that is homelessness,” Prince William said. “Homelessness should be viewed as an achievable goal.”

“Every time I come to The Passage I am always struck by the lasting impact of their work,” he continued. “The work that I have seen first-hand over many years is the reason I know that ending homelessness must be thought of as more than simply a wishful aspiration.”

Sister Joan

While he was at The Passage, the father-of-four met a nun, sister Joan of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, who has been serving people there since he was a little boy. Sister Joan remembers having met the young prince with his late mother, Princess Diana, at age three.

“Diana was beautiful, gentle,” the nun recalled. “I cannot find words to describe her.”

Sister Joan, now 90-years-old, was helping at The Passage in central London when Diana first took her sons there in 1993.

“She was an ordinary person with no airs and graces, who could relate to anybody,” the 90-year-old servant of the Lord continued.

Sister Joan hopes Prince William will return again soon and bring his own children.

“He’s going to bring his children one day to see us. It would be nice.”

Prince William has said before that he wants to encourage his children to get involved with important issues such as this. Before he turned 40, the prince talked about shining a “spotlight on this solvable issue” and as Princess Diana set the example for him, Prince William would pass that on to his own kids.

“In the years ahead, I hope to bring George, Charlotte and Louis to see the fantastic organizations doing inspiring work to support those most in need – just as my mother did for me,” he said.