He praises his mother's "inimitable style" to "shine a light on an overlooked, misunderstood problem" of homelessness in his essay in The Big Issue.
Prince William plans on passing his mother's legacy of philanthropy to his children.
Just ahead of his birthday on 21 June, The Duke Of Cambridge, in a reflective essay in the British magazine, The Big Issue, opened up about how his mother's work has had a deep impact on him. He begins the essay with an incident from the time when he was 11-year-old during which he visited a homeless shelter with his mother, Princess Diana. He praises his mother's "inimitable style" to "shine a light on an overlooked, misunderstood problem" of homelessness.
Prince William is the patron of several charities and organizations and plans to follow in his mother's footsteps by raising awareness about homelessness. He even took to the streets last week selling copies of the magazine and using his celebrity status to bring attention to people in need.
Our patron, Prince William, is on the cover of the Big Issue for his 40th birthday!
— Centrepoint (@centrepointuk) June 20, 2022
He has long been an advocate for ending homelessness - so it's lovely to see him sharing that with his children too. 🧡 @KensingtonRoyal https://t.co/kVUjahdSGB
“The Big Issue had launched just two years before, offering people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income by selling a magazine to the public and providing a solution to the issues that saw a growing number of people on the streets of the nation’s capital.”
He brought everyone's attention to the issue of homelessness stating that though things might have progressed, "homelessness is still seen by many as some entrenched phenomenon over which we have little power." He pointed towards the "worrying signs" of rising prices that may worsen making it difficult for people to get by.
NEW: Three photographs of The Duke of Cambridge have been released to mark his 40th birthday tomorrow. They were taken recently when Prince William joined @BigIssue to continue his work in raising the plight of homelessness - just as his mother did #PrinceWilliamAt40 🗞👑🎉 pic.twitter.com/3GFuWK3LZ5
— Rebecca Russell (@RMRussell29) June 20, 2022
Acknowledging that everything is not immediately reparable, he wrote "I refuse to believe that homelessness is an irrevocable fact of life. It is an issue that can be solved, but that requires a continued focus and comprehensive support network.”
The senior royal hopes to motivate his kids, Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 4, to fight for the cause as well.
“And in the years ahead, I hope to bring George, Charlotte and Louis to see the fantastic organisations doing inspiring work to support those most in need — just as my mother did for me.” Speaking of his mother's influence, he added, “As she instinctively knew, and as I continue to try and highlight, the first step to fixing a problem is for everyone to see it for what it truly is,” he wrote.
I have always believed in using my platform to help bring attention and action to those who are struggling and I commit to doing what I can to shine a spotlight on this solvable issue not just today, but in the months and years to come. pic.twitter.com/03L0GjphXS
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) June 20, 2022
Pledging his commitment to the cause of homelessness, Prince William wrote, "So, for my part, I commit to continue doing what I can to shine a spotlight on this solvable issue not just today, but in the months and years to come. " He added, “I plan to do that now I’m turning 40, even more than I have in the past.”
References:
https://www.bigissue.com/opinion/prince-william-why-i-wanted-to-work-with-the-big-issue/
Cover Image Source: (L) Photo by Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images (R) Photo by Massey/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
