On what would have been Princess Diana’s 64th birthday, her eldest son, Prince William, took significant steps to honor her legacy. On July 1, the Prince of Wales traveled approximately 170 miles from his home at Windsor Castle to Sheffield, marking the second anniversary of Homewards, an initiative he launched in 2023. This program aims to make homelessness “rare, brief, and unrepeated” by pledging $3.8 million to six regions across the U.K.
Prince William’s commitment to this cause is deeply personal, as it resonates with both his and his mother’s philanthropic efforts. Diana, the late Princess of Wales, famously introduced William and his brother, Prince Harry, to the realities of homelessness by taking them to shelters at a young age. During the Homewards: Delivering Change Together event, William engaged with representatives from Sheffield, Newport, Aberdeen, Northern Ireland, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, and Lambeth. The daylong conference included workshops, expert panels, and meetings with frontline workers dedicated to combating homelessness in their communities.
Continuing Diana’s Legacy
At the event, Prince William shared a panel with Homewards advocate Steven Bartlett and former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He also met individuals who have experienced homelessness firsthand. His itinerary included a visit to Meadowhead Secondary School to observe the progress of an early intervention program called Upstream, which connects at-risk individuals with necessary support services.
“In a modern and progressive society, everyone should have a safe and secure home, be treated with dignity, and given the support they need,” William stated when he launched Homewards in 2023. “Through Homewards, I want to make this a reality and over the next five years, give people across the U.K. hope that homelessness can be prevented when we collaborate.”
William’s dedication to providing a home base for everyone in the U.K. is a deeply personal mission. He became a patron of Centrepoint, a homeless charity his mother supported until her death in 1997, shortly after graduating from the University of St. Andrews in 2005. In 2009, he spent a night sleeping on the streets of London to better connect with the cause.
Honoring Diana’s Memory Through Action
In the lead-up to his visit to Sheffield, William released an open letter to Homewards’ six pilot regions, praising their work in making the initiative “unique and powerful.” He emphasized the importance of collective effort in achieving lasting impact.
“We have the ability to harness our collective capabilities, expertise, and resources towards this common cause. I am immensely proud to say that your collective effort has already allowed us to achieve lasting impact.”
This initiative is just one of the many ways William has worked to honor his late mother. On July 1, 2021, what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday, William and Harry unveiled a statue of her in Kensington Palace’s Sunken Garden. “Today, on what would have been our Mother’s 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength, and character—qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better,” they said in a statement.
Shared Tributes by William and Harry
William and Harry have consistently paid tribute to their mother over the years. In 2017, the Sunken Garden was temporarily renamed The White Garden, featuring flowers in white and soft pastel colors as a nod to Diana’s wardrobe. The brothers also participated in the HBO documentary “Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy,” where they shared childhood memories and discussed her influence on their lives.
“I give thanks that I was lucky enough to be her son and that I got to know her for the 15 years that I did,” William said. “She set us up really well. She gave us the right tools and had prepared us well for life in the best way she could not obviously knowing what was going to happen.”
Harry added, “She was our mum. She still is our mum. And you know, of course as a son, I would say that she’s the best mum in the world.”
Legacy of Compassion and Advocacy
Both princes have continued Diana’s legacy by supporting organizations close to her heart. William is a patron of The Passage, a charity offering support to the homeless, which he first visited with Diana in 1993. He also supports Child Bereavement U.K., a charity Diana helped launch in 1994.
Similarly, Harry has championed causes such as HIV/AIDS awareness, founding Sentebale with Prince Seeiso to support young people affected by the disease in Southern Africa. He has also advocated for landmine clearance, retracing Diana’s steps in Angola in 2019.
William and Harry have also honored their mother through personal milestones. William proposed to Kate Middleton with Diana’s sapphire and diamond engagement ring, and their daughter was named Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. Harry’s engagement ring for Meghan Markle included diamonds from Diana’s collection, and their daughter was named Lilibet Diana.
“There’s not many days that go by that I don’t think of her, you know?” William said in “Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy.” “Sometimes sad, sometimes very positively. You know, I have a smile every now and again when someone says something, and I think that’s exactly what she would have said or she would have enjoyed that comment.”
As Prince William continues to champion causes close to his heart, he ensures that his mother’s legacy of compassion and advocacy lives on. Through initiatives like Homewards, he not only honors Diana’s memory but also works towards a future where everyone has a place to call home.
