Prince William brought Prince George on his first visit to a homelessness project Tuesday, with the pair helping to prepare a Christmas lunch for those in need.
William and George made a surprise appearance at The Passage in Victoria, London, an organization Prince William visited with his mother, Princess Diana, when he was a child.
Photographs released by Kensington Palace show father and son, both wearing aprons, assisting with lunch preparations alongside head chef Claudette. They also packed care packages, decorated a Christmas tree previously displayed at Westminster Abbey during the Princess of Wales’s Together at Christmas carol service, and even made cupcakes.
Pics: Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace
Mick Clarke, The Passage’s chief executive, noted that George was inquisitive, “very much like his dad.” He added, “Prince William has often talked about, during his childhood, how his mother talked about – I think as he described – the importance of viewing life beyond palace walls.”
Clarke continued, “I very much picked that up with George as well. It seemed to me that this was, or is, a family that are just trying to ensure that their children are brought up with greater awareness of what is around them and the need to ensure that, particularly, the most vulnerable in society are supported and looked after.”
Pic: Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace
The Passage holds a special place in Prince William’s history; his mother first brought him to the charity when he was 11 years old.
William with his mother Diana in 1989. File pic: AP
Prince William on a past visit to The Passage. File pic: PA
The visit underscores Prince William’s dedication to addressing homelessness, a commitment inspired by his mother’s example and formalized through the launch of his Homewards program in 2023.
During the visit, Prince George signed The Passage’s visitors’ book on the same page as his father and grandmother had on December 14, 1993.
Pic: Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace
What is Prince William’s Homewards initiative? The program, launched in 2023, aims to demonstrate that ending homelessness is achievable through collaborative, localized solutions.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson stated, “It was important to the Prince of Wales to share with Prince George the work of The Passage and to spend time volunteering alongside the team. They both greatly enjoyed meeting staff, volunteers and service users as well as learning more about the charity’s work. The dedication shown not only by The Passage but by organizations across the homelessness sector, at Christmas and throughout the year, is invaluable.”
Pic: Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace
The visit also highlighted the Prince’s broader aim to educate his children about homelessness. William and George spent time with The Passage’s service users, some of whom the Prince had met previously, hearing their stories and learning about the support they receive.
Mick Clarke shared that Sarah and Brian, who had previously used The Passage’s services, explained their journey to the Prince and his son. Sarah poignantly remarked, “Christmas time is a time for family. We don’t have any family, so The Passage is our family.”
