Veteran Royal expert Jennie Bond has leapt to the defence of Prince William – dramatically declaring “I utterly despair”.
The Prince of Wales has long been a supporter of initiatives addressing mental health and the environment, and has also made it a priority to help those without a home.
Inspired by his late mother, Princess Diana, Prince William launched the Homewards programme, a five-year project that aims to make homelessness a rare and brief experience.
In a forthcoming documentary, the Prince addresses sceptics, saying: “I think everyone having a right to a safe and stable home, it benefits us all. I come with no other agenda than desperately trying to help people who are in need.”
Despite this, Prince William has faced criticism and veteran former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond has expressed her frustration with critics of the Prince’s efforts to tackle homelessness.
Speaking to OK!, Jennie said: “I utterly despair of the people who attack someone for trying to do good. What do they expect William to do? Sit in a Palace twiddling his thumbs and ringing a bell for servants? He knows perfectly well that he was born into a position of enormous privilege and wealth and several homes.
“But, as he says… what IS the point of his existence if he doesn’t use that privilege and that platform to try to do what he can to help others? He is coming up with innovative ideas… which may go some of the way to helping the homeless.”
The areas targeted include Lambeth in South London, Bournemouth, Newport, Belfast, Aberdeen and Sheffield.
Prince William, who is the Patron of homelessness charities Centrepoint and The Passage, aims to make homelessness “rare, brief and unrepeated”. Jennie comments: “If the project doesn’t provide a complete solution (and let’s face it, he’s not going to wipe out homelessness in a few years) he can at least say he has tried his best and used his considerable convening power as fully as possible.”
Reflecting on the influences behind Prince William‘s pioneering work and the role Diana, Princess of Wales played in inspiring him, Jennie adds: “Trying to help homeless people is pretty much in William’s DNA as his mother taught him so much about the problem and took him to see close up what it is like to sleep rough.
“It is now engrained in William that people who have had the misfortune to have no home deserve attention and help – and he is determined to give it. Good for him! And shame on anyone who criticises him for trying.”
Since the launch, a documentary team has followed people involved in the project.
The Duke’s initiative aimed to show that homelessness “can be ended”, but his words were met with criticism, notably from anti-monarchy group Republic. They argued that his involvement with the issue was contradictory, given his own privileged position and the numerous properties at his and the Royal Family’s disposal.