Wills: My fears for homeless

Prince speaks of perils of weather, drugs and violence

PRINCE William has voiced his fears for rough sleepers, saying: “I always worry when I hear the snow forecast in London.”

The Duke of Cambridge visited homelessness charity The Passage in London yesterday as he was announced as its royal patron.

Wearing an apron to prepare lunch for guests, William spoke of his fears about homelessness in Britain today.

He discussed the perils of violence, drugs and destitution, after the Daily Mirror last week launched a campaign that highlights the number of rough sleepers has more than doubled in 10 years.

William reiterated his fears about the drug Spice, saying: “It’s worrying. It sounds really quite scary.”

The charity, which he first visited with his mother Diana when he was 11, is the UK’S largest resource centre for the homeless.

He joked in the kitchen:

“I’m chopping up carrots with an enormous bread knife. This isn’t going to go well.”

Told he had to peel the carrots too, the Duke said: “So far, so good. My fingernails might go at this point.”

William’s work with the homeless goes back at least a decade, including sleeping rough in London last week.

The future king bedded down in a sleeping bag next to wheelie bins near Blackfriars bridge in an event organised by the Centrepoint charity, of which he is also patron. Despite the number of rough sleepers in England falling for the first time in eight years – there were 4,677 on a single night in 2018, down 74 (2%) from 2017 – it is still a 165% increase since the Tories came to power.

William yesterday spoke to clients and volunteers from the charity which unites former homeless people with local volunteers who help them settle in the community.

He asked: “Have you found a lot of people find it very difficult to make that jump back into accommodation? Do they feel isolated?”

Mick Clarke, chief executive of The Passage, said: “You suddenly have these four walls around you, no one’s there.

“Perhaps you see the offy across the road... it’s very difficult.

“Having people there to support you is very important.” William was “inspired” by Con Kealy, 46, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma while living rough. He told William how he beat addiction and works as a housing co-ordinator. He said: “Prince William said he was really moved by my story.” Mr Clarke said: “It’s been very clear that His Royal Highness has a deep concern for those affected by homelessness.”

ACTION Our report last week IN KITCHEN Back at charity as its patron FIRST VISIT With his mother VISITORS Diana and prince, age 11, sign their names INSPIRING Con beat addiction DEDICATION Kate chats at conference SWEET Charles at the Academy PRINCE Charles met five children affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy and told them he hopes they will make a “real difference to the future of this country”. In a visit to the Kensington Aldridge Academy, Charles suggested they would be the next generation of cyber security experts. He told students: “Many of you, I’m sure, are going to be frighteningly clever computer engineers helping to sort out all these cyber security issues I don’t understand.” Yusra Ali, a year 11 student, said: “We were a bit nervous because he’s royalty. We thought he’d be sterner but he was really sweet.” LAUNCH Duchess of Cornwall The Duchess of Cornwall has said she wishes her late mother was with her to see the progress on osteoporosis. Camilla, whose mother Rosalind died of the fragile bone disease in 1994, was at the launch of the newly titled Royal Osteoporosis Society at the Science Museum in London. She said her mother died aged 71, the same age as Camilla is now. The duchess has supported the charity for over 20 years, becoming patron in 1997 and president in 2001. Paying tribute to the ROS, and new medicines and research, she said: “It’s incredible what’s happening and I wish my mother was here to see it.”