Every night, there are over half a million people in America sleeping rough, and 1.6 billion people worldwide without suitable shelter. Homelessness is an issue that isn’t considered by the majority of the population, while we spend time at home, sleeping comfortably in our beds. It takes a special kind of person to highlight this issue, looking for solutions and trying to understand the complex issues that can lead to someone becoming homeless. These royals may live in grandeur, but the contribution that they have made to help to improve homelessness is truly inspiring.
Princess Diana
Princess Diana of England was well known for her humanitarian work. She grew up in a place of privilege, and owned some of the most renowned pieces of royal jewelry, including The Spencer Tiara and, of course, the blue sapphire that formed part of her iconic engagement ring. The ring now belongs to Kate Middleton, The Duchess of Cambridge. Yet despite being royalty, Diana had a strong desire to always help those who needed it, particularly the homeless. Princess Diana became the patron of Centrepoint, a charity helping young homeless people to move forward with their lives and offering support. Diana was even known to sneak out of Kensington Palace and leave warm winter coats for the homeless locally. Today, her eldest son, Prince William, is patron of Centrepoint, and continues the valuable work that his mother started.
King Willem-Alexander
King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands is another strong advocate for the homeless, actively working at a grassroots level to solve the issue. There are 40,000 people in The Netherlands who are living without adequate accommodation, and King Willem-Alexander has been working with the Secretary of State to identify the causes, which can include health problems, loss of work, family break up, and financial issues. King Willem also actively raises the issues of homelessness and supports charity organizations helping those affected, such as the Homeless World Cup.
Queen Letizia
Queen Letizia of Spain doesn’t just strive to help the homeless in her own country. She took a trip to Dakar to meet the Sengalese villagers who are pushing to find accommodation for the homeless children living on the streets. The Queen was supporting the Village Pilote initiative, which helps to raise funds and care for the children who have nowhere to go. Queen Letizia is an aspiring royal who understands that homelessness is not just a local issue: it’s a worldwide problem.
Global problems like homelessness need to be tackled urgently, and the only way to do this is to raise public awareness. These inspiring royals are driving the issues into the limelight, ultimately helping those who need it most.