Should a member of the royal family be talking about homelessness?
Can they honestly do anything about the problem in this country and beyond?
That’s a question I hear time and time again. Take it from someone who has covered their work for nearly a decade: the answer is a resounding yes.
Prince William’s project to help alleviate the issues surrounding homelessness is an ambitious one.
One which he has admitted poses difficulties in getting people, industries and governments to engage, and one which has led to attacks on his character.
Granted, the royal family sits on enormous wealth and has a plethora of homes to choose from.
The announcement last week that the King and Queen have decided not to move into Buckingham Palace after taxpayers forked out the best part of £400 million for its much needed renovation is a particularly thorny issue for some.
But Royal HQ is not only a working palace that welcomes thousands of people each year to public engagements, investitures and garden parties to celebrate our community heroes, it belongs to the country.
This global monument deserves to be kept in good order so visitors and the public can enjoy it for generations and provide an income for its upkeep in the future.
William’s role – and indeed that of the King and the working royals – is to be ambassadors for the UK.
Phrases such as soft diplomacy and convening power carry more weight than mere words drummed up to support the institution’s existence.
William has an opportunity to make change for good. Rather than shy away from a difficult issue that, let’s face it none of his family or close friends will ever have to deal with head-on, he has put himself at the centre.
Just look at the people who want to be involved. Former Prime Ministers, millionaires, celebrities with public profiles and those with the case to put towards good causes. They all believe in this project.
Speaking to people who have been helped directly from William’s Homewards project is an emotional experience. Without it, the pressures on the sector mean some of them may have fallen through the system and never found the assistance they desperately need.
This week it was announced that just three years after its launch, Homewards has raised £7.7m in direct funding, in addition to a mammoth £50m contribution from Lloyds Bank.
You’d be hard-pushed to achieve this level of support without a profile such as William has.
Which is exactly why he is putting it to good use.
The argument for the royals to hand over their vast property portfolio to tackle homelessness is a lazy one.
What this country needs is positive action and a change in attitudes from the government to commit more resources in communities around the nation to help.
As William said on Tuesday, “homelessness is one of those ones that no matter where you go in the world it’s not really taken seriously – everyone cares about it but no one is pulling the levers.”
Charities will tell you there is nothing like having the support of a royal – especially someone such as the future king.
It opens doors, gets people to sit up and take notice and more importantly, encourages them to put their hand in their pocket to unlock much-needed funding.
So good luck to William and all those working on Homewards, because without ambition this issue and many others like it have no chance of change.
