Royal | News - Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
Prince William is to feature in a two-part ITV documentary shining a light on homelessness in Britain.
Under the working title “Prince William: We Can End Homelessness”, two one hour specials will give an exclusive, behind the scenes look at the first year of the Homewards programme, an initiative aimed at ending homelessness.
Scheduled to air on ITV1 and ITVX this autumn, the two-part documentary series will follow Prince William, 42, as he launches Homewards across the country, as well as the journeys of those currently facing homelessness or who have lived experience of the issue.
Produced by legendary filmmaker Louis Theroux’s Mindhouse productions, the two-part documentary has been directed by BAFTA winner Leo Burley and executive produced by Arron Fellows.
Burley previously directed “The Real Mo Farah” and “My Dad, the Peace Deal and Me”.
Burley said: “Over the past year we have spent time following Prince William and The Royal Foundation through the first year of the Homewards programme. We’ve heard some incredibly moving stories from people across the country facing homelessness.
“From street homelessness in Newport, to families living in temporary accommodation in Sheffield, and youth homelessness in Aberdeen, the documentary paints a picture of homelessness across the UK today, working with many people who never expected to experience life without a place to call home.
“Everyone we’ve filmed with has welcomed the spotlight that Prince William and Homewards are placing on the UK’s homelessness crisis.”
Commissioned for ITV by Jo Clinton-Davis and Sue Murphy, the documentary series will also feature well-known advocates of the programme, alongside those leading individual projects across the UK.
Clinton-Davis said: “With access to the inner workings of this ambitious project and the work of Prince William and his team, we hope to share with viewers a privileged insight into how they are setting out to tackle an issue which concerns us all and affects so many of our fellow citizens across the UK.”
Founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in June 2023, Homewards is a transformative, locally led programme, that aims to demonstrate that it’s possible to end homelessness, making it rare, brief and unrepeated.
Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive Officer, The Royal Foundation, said: “We know that television has the power to change hearts and minds.
“Homelessness can seem like it is hard to prevent but by sharing the realities of people’s experiences and those who are coming together to support them, we can inspire action. This two-part documentary will help raise vital awareness and demonstrate that, by working together, it is possible to end homelessness.”
Prince William famously spent a night sleeping rough on the streets of London in the winter of 2009 to experience being homeless. The royal took to a sleeping bag next to some wheelie bins near Blackfriars bridge in an event organised by his late mother Princess Diana’s Centrepoint charity.
The Prince of Wales, now patron of Centrepoint, said he was trying to “do his bit” to help the vulnerable as he stayed out in temperatures as low as minus 4c during Christmas time.
Prince William has been undertaking a number of solo engagements recently due to his wife Princess Kate’s ongoing recovery from cancer.
At the end of last month, the Emperor and Empress of Japan received a glittering ceremonial welcome of military pomp and pageantry in London for their state visit. William escorted the Emperor and Empress from their overnight hotel in the capital and played a key role in the recent D-Day commemorations in France.