Official wants homeless removed from Windsor

LONDON — A political storm is brewing ahead of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s May 19 wedding over whether to crack down on homeless people and panhandlers in the well-to-do English town of Windsor.

The wedding will be held at Windsor Castle, the town’s most famous landmark and a favored residence of Queen Elizabeth II. It is expected to draw thousands of extra visitors to the picturesque riverside town 20 miles west of London that is already popular with international tourists.

Borough council leader Simon Dudley kicked off the controversy by tweeting over the Christmas holidays about the need to clean up Windsor’s streets. He then wrote to police and Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May suggesting that action be taken to reduce the presence of panhandlers and the homeless.

Dudley referred to an “epidemic” of homelessness and vagrancy in Windsor and suggested many of those begging in the town are not really homeless. He said the situation presents a beautiful town in an unfavorable light.

The prime minister said last week she does not agree with Dudley’s call for police action, emphasizing that councils like the one Dudley heads must act to help the homeless.

“I think it is important that councils work hard to ensure that they are providing accommodation for those people who are homeless,” May said.

Homeless charities reacted angrily to his suggestion that homelessness should be treated as a police matter so Windsor can make a positive impression on visitors during the royal nuptials. They also rejected the assertion that Windsor’s homeless were on the streets by choice.

Greg Beales, a spokesman for Shelter, said people sleeping on the streets are in desperate need of help.

Harry and Markle will be wed on the closed-off castle grounds but have said they want the public to be involved to some degree. Harry has supported a number of charity events to help the homeless.