In December 2009, years before launching his national Homewards project, Prince William spent a winter night sleeping rough in London to better understand life without a home. Then in his late 20s, he lay in a sleeping bag in a quiet alleyway near rubbish bins, alongside Centrepoint chief executive Seyi Obakin, ABC reported.
The temperature plunged to –4°C, and the future king endured not only bitter cold but also moments of danger, including a close call with a road sweeper. Speaking to ABC News at the time, William admitted he could not “even begin to imagine what it is like to ‘sleep rough’ night after night.” He said he hoped the experience would deepen his understanding so he could “do [his] bit to help the most vulnerable.”
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Influence of Princess Diana
William’s commitment to tackling homelessness is rooted in his mother’s example. Princess Diana took both her sons to The Passage, a London shelter, when they were young – visits he has said left a lasting mark.
According to People, William became Centrepoint’s patron in 2005, following in Diana’s footsteps. From the start, Obakin said, he aimed to be more than “an ornamental patron”, wanting to learn about the challenges and how he could make a difference.
A lasting legacy
The People report stressed that his sleep-out was far from a publicity stunt. In the years since, William has continued to visit shelters, prepare and deliver meals during the Covid-19 pandemic, and commit to long-term action. In 2023, he launched Homewards – a five-year plan to make homelessness “rare, brief, and unrepeated” in the UK.
Mick Clarke of The Passage described him as “a catalyst” helping shift the conversation from “managing homelessness” to “ending it”.
Homewards at two years
Homewards marks its second anniversary this July and is testing new local approaches to ending homelessness in six UK regions. Centrepoint remains a key partner.
“Sleeping out was the starting point,” Obakin said. “Homewards is the continuation.”