William, Prince of Wales
Prince William, along with homeless activists from about 15 organizations has launched a new project aimed at permanently ending homelessness in Britain. The announcement of a five-year pilot project was welcomed in many circles. However, the Prince also faced criticism and cynicism. Streetsense explored the connection between the monarchy and homelessness.
"My first visit to a homeless shelter was when I was 11 with my mother. The visit we made left a deep and lasting impression. I met so many extraordinary people and listened to so many heart breaking personal stories," declared Prince William in a speech. And in a promotional video the prince promises "Through Homeward, we will demonstrate that together we can finally end homelessness."
The project, Homeward, which was launched in June 2023, has begun with an initial fund of 3 million pounds. It represents a five-year pilot scheme which will be tested in 6 localities throughout Britain; Aberdeen, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Lambeth in London, Newport, Northern Ireland, and Sheffield.
It is important to recognize this is not some spur-of-the-moment decision based on some whim or indulgence. As far back as 2009, Prince William slept rough (Amer. slept outdoors)…
in winter to highlight the issue, also befriended the homeless and helped sell “The Big Issue” on the streets of Britain.
The main inspiration is his mother, the late Princess Diana, called 'the People's Princess' who devoutly supported many causes such as helping victims of Aids, the poor, and actively campaigned against the use of land mines. But the Prince is also impressed by the example of how Finland tackled the homelessness issue thus vindicating the strategy of 'Houses First.'
An estimated 300,000 people are homeless in Britain and this is set to rise even further along with rising poverty, food insecurity and a crumbling welfare state which has turned into a shambles. In King Charles the Third's last Christmas Speech, he openly supported activists who not only gave donations to aiding the worst off but more importantly, offered their precious time as volunteers. The British parliament was uneasy about this speech as it could be viewed as an implicit indictment about how dire Britain had really become…
King Charles
In Britain the monarchy is supposed to remain above politics and appear 'neutral.' The advantage of supporting 'charity' is that the monarchy can claim this activity transcends politics and the role of the monarchy is to act as unitary force. It is above and beyond politics. The monarchy simply wants to help people!
However, that is not how everyone sees things. The anti-monarchist spokesperson of Republic Graham Smith retorted, "The last thing we need is for William to get involved in this issue, a man who has 3 huge houses and a vast estate gifted to him by the state. It is crass and hypocritical to get involved in this issue." Others think “What can the monarchy know about homelessness? Surely their sheltered and spoon fed background undermines any sense of empathy? If the monarchy really wanted to aid the homeless why don't they place them in all their own huge houses and land? It all sounds more like P.R. to prop up a dysfunctional monarchy which is virtually on its last legs !”
How might we answer such cynicism? Well, Paul McNamee, an editor of the “Big Issue” writes "But William is doing two things. He 's present. When somebody like him can draw attention to any cause that needs support, that is helpful and will deliver a positive boost. And he 's focused on prevention, a watchword of many years from Big Issue. He's also focusing on real and sustainable outcomes, not just talking shop.
By working with smaller groups in various locations with a prevention aim, to stop vulnerable people falling into homelessness, he has something of a better chance than a top-heavy ,top -down one size MUST fit all from central government {“The Big Issue,” number 1571, July 3, 2023}.
Why do some people presume that not having experienced the predicament of another person precludes any knowledge of this person's plight? If we take this view to an extreme we can conclude it is impossible to understand any other person! After all, I am not you and you are not me! But just because my understanding of another person is incomplete, partial and limited this reality should not rule out some sort of understanding or empathy.
Empathy is not just based on direct experience but also a vivid imagination and active curiosity. An acute sense of empathy can't be reduced to whether a person has directly experienced what others went through. That is a crude empirical notion that seeks to limit and much worse, seeks to discourage attempts to understand the plight of others.
And what can princes understand about homelessness? Well may be more than some republicans presume! They forget that anyone can become homeless! A brief look at history readily affirms this axiom. William Shakespeare knew what he was writing about when he wrote of how King Lear was made homeless. That a prince can be made homeless is demonstrated by the Russian revolution. The Russian writer Maxim Gorky put up homeless members of the monarchy in his huge house at Kronversky prospect in Moscow. According to the historian Orlando Figes “'There was even the former Grand Duke Gavril Konstantinovich Romanov , there together with the former grand duchess and their dog. Maxim Gorky had taken pity on them and rescued them from the Cheka jails after Gavril had fallen ill.”
Though formally rich, their experience of being homeless was very humiliating, unpleasant and dangerous. In his memoirs the Grand Duke writes how he had to share tables with people 'That rejoiced at our misery' and 'it was distasteful for us to have to mix in such society.'
Of course one might answer Russia is not a good example as members of the British Royal Family have never been made homeless. But this turns out to be untrue. The late Prince Philip was practically homeless during his childhood. His family had been forced to leave Greece. He did not like to make a song and dance out of this. But in one interview he bluntly told a journalist he had no home when he was a child. Asked about his childhood home in an interview he replied, "What do you mean home? You get on with it, you do, one does.” As a journalist from the Guardian puts it in the obituary of the late Prince Philip: “Permanent exile was to be the first experience of Philip's life. He was brought up in Saint Cloud, on the edge of Paris. His family lived on the charity of relatives. His elder sisters dressed in hand me down clothes. He was shuffled between boarding schools. Alexander, Queen of Yugoslavia, once described Prince Philip as 'a huge hungry dog, perhaps a friendly collie who never had a basket of his own.' “
He live out of a suitcase. Snobbish courtiers of the Royal family noted he had no spare shoes and the pair he possessed had holes in them. Prince Philip was frowned upon not just for his poverty but because he was viewed as a complete outsider without a penny to his name.
But what do the homeless have in common with the current monarchy ? Isn't the gap simply unbridgeable? Not so! They share some things in common! Both the homeless and the monarchy are often derided and abused by the mainstream press. At times they can both be demonized!
The homeless and monarchy are accused of being lazy, idle and parasites…
They are both viewed as not performing a 'useful function.' In addition, while the homeless can be subject to a form of snobbery by some well off people, the monarchy is also the target of a snobbery of an inverted kind. Both are caught up in a crass and callous class conflict. You might even say they are both in a sense 'outsiders.'
We might ask some cynics “Who is more out of touch with reality- the monarchy or the cynics?” For the cynics are infected by the new unrealism which has mushroomed all over Britain. Further, this unrealism is rooted in a crude unphilosophical and unhistorical view of things.
Dave Martin, a vendor who sold The “Big Issue” with Prince William certainly doesn't agree with the cynics. On Prince William's motives he said, "He's a genuine guy who is really passionate about it. Getting the councils, local charities and businesses together. I think that's a good scheme myself. He is a good guy and I hope he gets all support for his pet project."
One supporter called Sydney stated, "God bless Prince William for trying to help remove homelessness! A true monarch who has deep love and affection for his country and people."
Acknowledged sources
Douglas Smith, “Former People: The Last Days of the Russian Aristocracy,” London: Pan Books, 2013.
Orlando Figes, “A People's Tragedy, The Russian Revolution,” Bodley Head, London: Penguin Random House, 2017. Page 607
Paul McNamee, “Big Issue,” number 1571, July 3, 2023. Page 11.
Paul McNamee, “Big Issue,” number 1572, July 10, 2023. Page 14
Stephen Bates, “Obituary: Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, “The Guardian, “ April 9, 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/09/prince-philip-the-duke-of-edinburgh-obituary