Prince William is marking what would have been Princess Diana’s 64th birth anniversary with a significant step forward in his campaign to combat homelessness. According to People, on July 1, the Prince of Wales will visit Sheffield to observe the second anniversary of his Homewards initiative. Launched in 2023, Homewards aims to make homelessness “rare, brief and unrepeated”. The cause holds deep personal significance for William, whose late mother frequently took him and Prince Harry to shelters during their childhood. Her legacy of compassion continues to shape his efforts today.
William’s July 1 visit to Sheffield includes meetings with representatives from six regions piloting local approaches to homelessness — Sheffield, Newport, Aberdeen, Northern Ireland, Bournemouth-Christchurch-Poole, and Lambeth in London.
In a public letter, he acknowledged the progress so far and urged continued focus.
“Your experiences are what makes Homewards unique and powerful. We have the ability to harness our collective capabilities, expertise, and resources towards this common cause,” he wrote.
The prince praised the transition into “delivery mode” across sites and highlighted targeted strategies for populations most at risk. “Focus is important,” he added.
One of the major developments William is set to celebrate is a funding breakthrough. People reports that Homewards secured over $50 million from Lloyds Bank to develop affordable housing across the six areas. The initiative calls this a “groundbreaking moment,” and hopes it will encourage similar support from other institutions.
At a school in Sheffield, William will also observe a new intervention model inspired by Australia’s Geelong Project. The UK version, titled “Upstream,” seeks to identify young people at risk of homelessness and offer timely support. The Australian model led to a 40 per cent drop in youth homelessness.
Experts say Homewards is making the right moves at the right time. Lydia Stazen, former Executive Director of the Institute of Global Homelessness, called the project “exactly where I would expect it to be,” as reported by People.
Polly Neate, former Shelter CEO, credited William’s leadership. “Having somebody like Prince William say it is possible to end homelessness is hugely impactful,” she said.
William has maintained that Homewards complements existing efforts rather than replaces them. “It’s about the people who hold trust within those local communities,” he said, and empowering them to make change happen.
Homewards is a UK-based homelessness prevention campaign launched by Prince William in 2023. It aims to make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated through localised, long-term solutions.
Prince William has long been committed to the issue, inspired by his late mother Princess Diana, who took him and Prince Harry to shelters to understand the human side of homelessness.
In its second year, Homewards has launched over 100 projects across six UK locations and secured over $50 million in funding to support housing development and community programs.
Unlike many crisis-focused responses, Homewards centres on early intervention and systemic change, working closely with local communities to prevent homelessness before it begins.