Prince William Inspired by Prince Philip’s Direct Approach to Philanthropy
During a visit to Belfast, Prince William had an enlightening conversation that shed light on effective ways to secure financial donations. It seems his late grandfather, Prince Philip, had a straightforward approach when it came to giving back. Prince Philip would boldly ask, “Why don’t you just give them the bloody money?”
Prince William, 41, made the announcement that Northern Ireland would be one of the flagship locations for his ambitious homelessness program, Homewards. As he toured the Skainos Centre at the East Belfast Mission, the Rev Brian Anderson, chair of the board, shared a remarkable anecdote. When Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited the old East Belfast Mission Hall in 2008 and learned about the plans for the Skainos Centre, Prince Philip asked why it had not yet been built due to a lack of funds. He then turned to the politicians and civil servants present and bluntly asked, “Why don’t you just give them the money?” Miraculously, the funds arrived just three weeks later.
Upon hearing this story, Prince William remarked, “That sounds like my grandfather,” and later shared his grandfather’s anecdotes with well-wishers gathered outside. Prince William’s UK tour included visits to Aberdeen and Sheffield, the last two stops on his journey, which are key areas of focus for the Homewards project.
Homewards is a five-year program aimed at proving that homelessness can be eliminated through collective societal efforts and prevention strategies. So far, Bournemouth, Lambeth, Newport, Northern Ireland, Aberdeen, and Belfast have been announced as flagship locations for the program. Prince William emphasized the importance of support services and prevention, acknowledging the housing challenges faced by Northern Ireland.
As the future King, Prince William expressed his gratitude to experts working in the field and pledged that Homewards would bring about positive change, putting an end to homelessness. He encouraged innovation, collaboration, and raising awareness about the issue, emphasizing that homelessness is preventable. With the inspiration of his grandfather and the dedication of those involved, Prince William believes that together, society can make a significant impact in the fight against homelessness.
