As Prince William prepares to star in a new documentary series highlighting homelessness later this year, we take a closer look at everything we know about the production so far
When it comes to life in the royal spotlight, Prince William is no stranger to the media, but in a welcome change from the usual pap strolls, or pre-recorded messages, the Prince of Wales is set to showcase a whole new side of himself as part of a brand new documentary series.
Yet unlike his brother Prince Harry, who previously lifted the lid on life as a royal alongside his wife Meghan Markle in a Netflix documentary series last year, William will be showcasing a cause very near and dear to his heart in the series as he campaigns to end homelessness once and for all.
The new documentary, entitled Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, will air in two parts on ITV and ITVX later this Autumn, and will draw attention to the Homewards program, a charitable initiative set up across the UK to help individuals facing homelessness and to support those with lived experience of life on the streets.
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Focusing on the first year of the five-year initiative specifically, the series will follow the launch of the charity, while also highlighting the efforts of advocates and project leaders working to combat homelessness in six key locations: Aberdeen, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Lambeth, Newport, Northern Ireland, and Sheffield.
Here’s everything you need to know about the series…
What is the series called and when will it air?
The Prince of Wales’ new documentary is entitled Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, and will air in two 60 minute episodes on ITV1 and ITVX later this year.
Although no official start date has yet been given for the programme, we do know it is expected to air this autumn, so could hit our screens anytime between September and November.
Who produced the series?
The series is being produced by Mindhouse and is directed by BAFTA award-winning Director Leo Burley and Executive Produced by Arron Fellows. Burley previously directed “The Real Mo Farah” and “My Dad, the Peace Deal and Me”.
Speaking about the project, Leo said: “Over the past year we have spent time following Prince William and The Royal Foundation through the first year of the Homewards programme. We’ve heard some incredibly moving stories from people across the country facing homelessness.
“From street homelessness in Newport, to families living in temporary accommodation in Sheffield, and youth homelessness in Aberdeen, the documentary paints a picture of homelessness across the UK today, working with many people who never expected to experience life without a place to call home.
“Everyone we’ve filmed with has welcomed the spotlight that Prince William and Homewards are placing on the UK’s homelessness crisis.”
Why is homelessness so close to Prince William’s heart?
Homelessness has always been a cause near and dear to Prince William’s heart, and his pledge to eradicate it once and for all dates back to his mother Princess Diana.
From a very young age, Diana had always sought to show both of her sons the realities of life outside of the royal family, which included unpublicised visits to several homeless shelters throughout their childhood.
Keen to champion the importance of compassion and understanding, these visits made a lasting impression of the young royal, and even led to him becoming a patron of homeless charity Centrepoint as he sought to support those who were living in such a tough situation.
The Prince even experienced firsthand some of the realities of life on the streets, when he slept rough back in 2009 as part of a campaign to raise awareness for the plight of homeless individuals, reports The Guardian.
Initially challenged to spend the night on the streets by the organisation’s chief executive, Seyi Obakin, the duo were joined on the sleep-out by William’s private secretary at the time, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton – and even very nearly found themselves run over by a street-sweeper.
Reflecting on the experience after their night on the streets, a St James’s Palace spokesman said the trio got little sleep and dozed for short periods. “Prince William took away from the experience the importance of tackling all the issues that cause people to be homeless and stay homeless, from drug dependency to mental health problems,” the spokesman said.
When did the Homewards charity start?
Homewards was officially founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in June 2023, with the organisation aiming to make homelessness a rare, brief, and non-recurrent situation.
By working with six key locations across the U.K., the program develops innovative solutions that can be scaled nationwide, with the ultimate goal being to drive lasting change and end homelessness for good.
You can find out more about the charity’s work here.