E-Paper
Prince William once spent a night sleeping on London streets, and here's what happened
Two decades into his public mission to end homelessness, Prince William’s 2009 decision to sleep on streets won hearts
Prefer HTon Google
In December 2009, long before launching his national Homewards initiative, Prince William, then in his late 20s, spent a freezing night sleeping on the streets of London to understand the reality of homelessness firsthand.
Bundled in a sleeping bag, the future king chose a secluded alleyway near garbage bins, joined by Centrepoint CEO Seyi Obakin, reported ABC. Temperatures dropped to –4°C and the night brought only bone-chilling cold but moments of danger, including a near miss with a road sweeper.
Speaking to ABC News then, Prince William had said that he could not even begin to imagine what it is like to “sleep rough” night after night. He said that with deepening his understanding, he hopes he can do his bit “to help the most vulnerable”.
A cause inspired by Princess Diana
According to another People report, Prince William’s compassion for the homeless traced back to his late mother, Princess Diana. She took him and Prince Harry to visit London’s The Passage shelter when they were kids, an experience, he said, that left a deep and lasting impression.
The report added that Prince William became a patron of Centrepoint in 2005, a charity his mother once supported. From the outset, he was determined to be more than an ornamental patron, Obakin told People. She added that Prince William wanted to understand the issues and know how he could help.
Also read: Kate Middleton, Prince William excited for summer plans. Here's what they're doing
The legacy of that night
The People report added that the single night’s sleep-out was not a publicity stunt. In the years since, William has visited shelters, helped cook and deliver meals during COVID-19, and committed to long-term action through Homewards: a five-year plan launched in 2023 to make homelessness ‘rare, brief, and unrepeated’ in the UK.
Mick Clarke of The Passage was quoted as saying that Prince William is a catalyst who is changing language from ‘managing homelessness’ to ‘ending it’.
Homewards: A national mission
Homewards is celebrating two years this July and is piloting new innovative local solutions to homelessness in six areas across the UK. Centrepoint is an important partner, and its leaders view William's sleeping on the streets in 2009 as a starting point in moving from direct empathy to national strategy.
"Sleeping out was the starting point," says Obakin. "Homewards is the continuation."
FAQs
Q: When did Prince William sleep rough in London?
A: December 15, 2009, in central London during freezing conditions.
Q: Which charities is he involved with on homelessness?
A: Centrepoint, The Passage, and his own Homewards initiative.
Q: How did Princess Diana inspire his work?
A: She exposed William and Harry to life “beyond palace walls,” taking them to homeless shelters as children.
Q: What is Homewards?
A: A five-year program launched in 2023 aimed at ending homelessness in the UK through community-led solutions.
