The Royal family rarely directly address any criticism or controversy surrounding them. “Never complain, never explain,” was the mantra the Queen Mother passed down to her daughter, the late Queen Elizabeth, who then passed it onto her son, King Charles. It seems, however, that Charles didn’t get around to telling it to his own child, Prince William, as his heir apparent has just responded to his controversial activity since becoming next in line to the throne.
Upon the passing of his grandmother in 2022, William inherited his father’s old title of Prince of Wales and became the heir to the throne himself. Ghoulish speculation runs rampant over whether he’ll have to assume the crown sooner than expected, amid the king’s cancer treatment, but all we know for sure is that William is dedicated to a particular cause while he’s in the number two position. Even if it continues to court criticism.
Prince William snaps back at critics who accuse him of having a hidden “agenda” as he sets off on “big challenge”
Prince William has responded to those criticizing his dedication to combating homelessness in the U.K. In 2023, the prince launched Homewards, a five-year initiative determined to reduce all forms of homelessness across Britain and change perceptions around it, too. While obviously an altruistic cause to get behind, some have scoffed at the scion of the country’s richest ruling family attempting to tackle this issue.
In a new clip from an upcoming documentary, though, William offers his say on the matter. When asked what his response is to those who don’t think he’s the best person to spearhead this initiative, the prince hit back against any claims that he might have another “agenda” or that the widespread problem of homelessness does not affect him.
“I think everyone having a right to a safe and stable home, it benefits us all,” William states in the clip, as shared by Sky News. “I come with no other agenda than desperately trying to help people who are in need.”
William went on to say that he views his “role,” presumably meaning his position as a senior Royal and future king, as one that requires him to help as many people as possible. That said, he stresses that he still needs the whole country to pitch in alongside him.
“And I see that as part of my role, is that, why else would I be here if I’m not using this role properly to influence and help people where I can?” he continued. “And I like a big challenge. I do like that, but I can’t do it on my own.”
It’s something of a politician’s answer, to be fair, and William’s response doesn’t exactly address the direct question of whether his extreme privilege means he can really understand the nuances of the homelessness problem. Even so, it’s hard to criticize the man for this enterprise too much, especially when certain other Royals spend their time on much less honorable hobbies.
For those in the U.K., two-part documentary Prince William: We Can End Homelessness airs across Oct. 30 and Oct. 31 at 9pm BST on ITV1 and ITVX. Don’t forget, his estranged brother, Prince Harry, has a new Netflix docuseries coming up this December.
