Prince William’s rapid progress stuns royal watchers

Prince William’s Homewards initiative has reached an important new milestone, as plans for its third major housing project have been approved in London.

Launched in 2023, the Prince of Wales’s foundation is dedicated to tackling youth homelessness across the UK. 

Just weeks after William announced that Homewards had entered its “delivery phase” in its second year, the scheme has now secured approval to transform an existing building in Lambeth into 16 independent living homes for young people aged 18 to 25.

The London development marks the third Homewards site, joining successful projects already underway in Aberdeen and Sheffield.

Seyi Obakin OBE, Chief Executive of Centrepoint, praised the initiative’s forward-thinking approach: 

“By linking rent to individual income levels, this Innovative Housing Project offers more than shelter – it offers young people the stepping stone they need to pursue their careers, build financial resilience, and transition out of homelessness for good.”

According to Centrepoint, more than 118,000 people aged 18–24 were homeless or at risk of losing their homes last year.

“Many of you have been on the front line of tackling homelessness for decades; for some, Homewards represents the first time you have engaged on this issue,” the Prince said, extending his gratitude to the hundreds of organisations across the public, private, and voluntary sectors that have joined coalitions in each project location.