Prince William to star in new TV documentary on cause close to his heart
Prince William will appear in a new TV documentary that aims to change perceptions around homelessness and prove that the problem can be solved.
And as he prepares to mark one year since the launch of his Homewards programme this week, a new art exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London has also been announced.
Opening next month at the Saatchi Gallery in London, it aims to help people understand homelessness and "inspire optimism" that it can be ended.
Look back at the launch video for homelessness here...
The two-part series Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, which will air on ITV1 and ITVX this Autumn, follows the future king as he launches his ambitious Homewards project across the UK, going behind the scenes of its first year’s work.
As well as charting the journeys of those who have experienced or are currently facing homelessness, it will feature supporters of the five-year programme, which aims to demonstrate that it’s possible to end the homelessness.
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Bafta award-winning director Leo Burley, who has followed the Prince and his project over the past year, said: "We've heard some incredibly moving stories from people across the country facing homelessness. From street homelessness in Newport, to families living in temporary accommodation in Sheffield, and youth homelessness in Aberdeen, the documentary paints a picture of homelessness across the UK today, working with many people who never expected to experience life without a place to call home.
"Everyone we've filmed with has welcomed the spotlight that Prince William and Homewards are placing on the UK’s homelessness crisis."
Meanwhile this summer's Homelessness: Reframed exhibition will display works from artists including Rankin, Opake and Marc Davenant. Dave Martin, who Prince William has sold the Big Issue with, will also have his art displayed, along with pieces created by children and young people from the six flagship areas where Homewards is focusing its efforts.
The programme is bringing organisations, charities and businesses together to collaborate and work towards scalable solutions in Aberdeen, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Lambeth in London, Newport, Northern Ireland and Sheffield.
The exhibition has been created through a partnership between Homewards, Eleven Eleven Foundation and Saatchi Gallery, under the guidance of experts with lived experience of homelessness – writer and director Lorna Tucker and award-winning social justice artist and educator David Tovey.
The Royal Foundation's CEO Amanda Berry said the documentary and exhibition would "raise vital awareness". She said: "We know that television has the power to change hearts and minds. Homelessness can seem like it is hard to prevent but by sharing the realities of people's experiences and those who are coming together to support them, we can inspire action."
She said the exhibition "underlines Homewards and The Royal Foundation’s dedication to challenging the long-held perceptions around homelessness".
She added: "By giving a platform to those with lived experience, we hope to start to shift the narrative and demonstrate that homelessness is not an inevitable part of society."
William launched Homewards in June 2023, aiming to demonstrate that it’s possible to end homelessness, making it "rare, brief and unrepeated".
Homelessness: Reframed will open at Saatchi Gallery on Wednesday 7 August and run for six weeks until Friday 20 September.
