Royal news - live: Prince William’s awkward interaction with homelessness campaigner in moving documentary
The first part of the Prince of Wales’ documentary about ending homelessness launched last night
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Prince William faced an uncomfortable moment during the premiere of his documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, which aired its first part on Wednesday night.
In the film, the Prince of Wales, 42, was confronted by Lord John Bird, founder of The Big Issue, who challenged him to address the “failed thinking” surrounding homelessness.
Lord Bird bluntly stated he wanted no “b******t” in their discussions, urging the prince to spearhead a new approach through his Homewards programme - an ambitious initiative aiming to end homelessness within five years.
He criticised the fragmented efforts of local authorities, charities, and government departments over the past three decades.
William responded with an invitation for open dialogue, adding: “I’m conscious that it’s a team environment, please do feel free to pile in when you need to.”
The Prince’s goal of ending homelessness has been inspired by his childhood experiences visiting shelters with his late mother, Princess Diana.
On the ITV series, he shared an anecdote about visiting a homeless charity with his mother, Diana, and brother, Harry. The second part of the documentary will air tonight.
Study reveals nation’s sentiment after Queen’s death
A recent study by psychologists from multiple universities, including The Open University, has shed light on the impact of the death of Queen Elizabeth II on the nation.
Conducted in the wake of her passing on 8 September 2022, the research focused on individuals who participated in national mourning events in Edinburgh and London.
The findings, published in the British Journal of Social Psychology, have revealed a desire for the monarchy to continue playing a significant role in British life.
During the official ten-day mourning period, the nation witnessed an unprecedented outpouring of grief.
Over 250,000 individuals queued to pay their respects at Westminster Hall, while the Queen’s funeral attracted one million attendees and an estimated 29 million viewers in the UK alone - four billion worldwide.
Researchers claim that many mourners still have a deep connection between their national identity and the Queen, who, in their view, “represented something of who we were.”
Researchers said: “You cannot have a future Britain without the preservation of the institution of monarchy.”
The study also highlighted that significant portions of the British public actively engaged in commemorative activities surrounding the Queen's death.
ICYMI: Eric Trump launches unprompted attack on ‘black sheep’ Prince Harry
Eric Trump has lashed out at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, claiming the only reason Prince Harry’s US Visa is safe is because “no one cares” about him.
The former President’s son recently discussed how much his father and current presidential candidate Donald Trump “loved” the late Queen Elizabeth II and how much damage Harry caused to the royal family after he and Meghan decided to leave their positions in 2020.
Eric also told the outlet that Harry would not need to worry about being deported if his father is elected on November 5 even if his visa application has been questioned.
Read the full story below:
Eric Trump launches unprompted attack on ‘black sheep’ Prince Harry
The former president’s second son said the Duke of Sussex had ‘gone off the deep end and it’s sad to watch’
Prince William faces uncomfortable moment in homelessness documentary
Prince William has faced an uncomfortable moment during the premiere of his documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, which aired its first part last tonight.
In the film, the Prince of Wales, 42, was confronted by Lord John Bird, founder of The Big Issue, who challenged him to address the “failed thinking” surrounding homelessness.
Lord Bird bluntly stated he wanted no “b******t” in their discussions, urging the prince to spearhead a new approach through his Homewards programme - an ambitious initiative aiming to end homelessness within five years.
“We need the expertise of everybody,” Lord Bird said during their meeting in episode one.
He criticised the fragmented efforts of local authorities, charities, and government departments over the past three decades.
William responded with an invitation for open dialogue, adding: “I’m conscious that it’s a team environment... please do feel free to pile in when you need to.”
To which Lord Bird replied: “I hope you mean that,” before jokingly adding: “Sorry, I’m jumping in.”
The Prince’s goal of ending homelessness has been inspired by his childhood experiences visiting shelters with his late mother, Princess Diana.
Meghan Markle could release ‘new memoir’ in next career move
Speculation is swirling around Meghan Markle’s potential next career move, with some royal experts suggesting she may release her own memoir.
Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield said she could make new revelations about her time in the Palace to “monetise her truth”.
He told Talk TV: “A part of me wonders if, similar to Jada Pinkett Smith, Meghan’s going to wait to reveal her truth until she finds a way to monetise it.
“Jada did that with her book, and Meghan has technically already done that with the Netflix series.”
Watch: Prince William confronted by founder of The Big Issue in awkward interaction
VOICES: The royal family’s finances are a mystery: it’s time to open the books
The view of the monarchy in the UK remains overwhelmingly positive, writes Alan Rusbridger.
But the public deserve full transparency on the family’s staggering wealth:
The royals’ finances are shrouded in mystery: they need to open the books
The view of the monarchy in the UK remains overwhelmingly positive, writes Alan Rusbridger. But the public deserve full transparency on the family’s staggering wealth
Government to punish Russian agencies targeting Princess Kate
The government will sanction Russian agencies linked to a disinformation campaign that targeted Princess Kate following her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
The disinformation network, known as the Doppelganger group, was formed of six Russian agencies and individuals accused of spreading false rumors about the Princess of Wales in March - shortly after she revealed her health condition.
The Foreign Office described this network as a "vast malign online presence" designed to disrupt democratic processes and create confusion through the dissemination of fake news.
Condemning the actions, foreign secretary David Lammy said: "Putin is so desperate to undermine European support for Ukraine that he is now resorting to clumsy, ineffective efforts to stoke unrest."
The Doppelganger’s operation was first detected by security experts at Cardiff University, who identified the methods used to push false narratives online about the Princess.
In response to the campaign, the Princess of Wales took a firm stance by publicly addressing her diagnosis, quelling the unfounded speculation that had spread across social media.
Princess Beatrice spotted at Saudi Investment Conference
Princess Beatrice of York, 36, was recently spotted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, attending the Future Investment Initiative conference.
The event, ending today, sees worldwide leaders and innovators discuss the future of global investment.
Beatrice is believed to have attended alongside her sister Princess Eugenie. A social media post by an Al Monitor reporter shows the princess at the event:
Unseen pictures from William, Harry and Princess Diana’s trip to homeless shelter
WATCH: Prince William hits back at critics over homelessness project
Prince William hits back at critics over homelessness project
The Prince of Wales has hit back at critics over his homelessness project. William responded to those questioning whether he is the right person to tackle the issue, given his privileged upbringing, in the first part of his new ITV documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness. William said: “I think everyone having a right to a safe home benefits us all. “I come with no other agenda than desperately trying to help people who are in need and I see that as part of my role, why else would I be here if I am not using this role properly to influence and help people while I can.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments