Prince William Interrupts Family Break with Major Announcement — and Diana Would've Been So Proud
Prince William was deeply affected when his mother, Princess Diana, tragically died in a car crash in August 1997. He was just 15 years old when he faced the heartbreaking task of walking behind her coffin, trying to conceal his emotions from the world. As an adult, William has remained steadfast in honoring his late mother’s legacy of compassion and service. In that spirit, on July 30, he announced the latest phase of his social housing project to eradicate homelessness, an issue close to Diana’s heart and one that would’ve made her proud of her son.
Diana was a long-time supporter of Centrepoint, a UK-based charity that supports young people experiencing homelessness. As reported by The Mirror, following her legacy, the Prince of Wales announced that a property in South London owned by the Duchy of Cornwall estate will be converted into 16 flats to provide affordable homes for people aged 18-25. The new Innovative Housing Project is located in Lambeth, a borough in London. It’s one of six areas where the Homewards program is working to build a model for ending all types of homelessness. The project is being completed in partnership with Centrepoint, which William supports as its patron, just like his mum.
Lambeth Council’s planning committee has approved the proposal, allowing construction to start soon. The homes are expected to be ready for residents by the end of 2026. This development also marks the latest step in William’s Homewards project, which began in 2023. The five-year locally led programme aims to showcase that it is possible to end homelessness. Seyi Obakin, Centrepoint's Chief Executive, said, "Centrepoint is committed to ending youth homelessness in the UK and we know that can only be achieved through collaborative effort. We are pleased to work in partnership with Homewards, the Duchy of Cornwall, and Lambeth Council to demonstrate that eradicating youth homelessness is achievable."
According to Reuters, in the ITV documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, William revealed that his inspiration for starting the Homewards initiative came from visiting homeless shelters as a child with his mother. He said, "I'd never been to anything like that before, and I was a bit anxious as to what to expect. My mother went about her usual part of making everyone feel relaxed, having a laugh, and joking with everyone." He continued, "That's when it informed me that there are other people out there who don't have the same life as you do. When you're quite small, you just think life is what you see in front of you."
The Prince of Wales has also honored Diana on what would have been her 64th birthday on July 1. He traveled to Sheffield to mark the second anniversary of the Homewards initiative, which he had launched on his mother’s birthday. Since then, he has introduced over 100 projects aimed at ending homelessness. Many royal experts believe that William has the potential to one day bring an end to homelessness in the UK.