Prince William adopted yet another patronage on Wednesday, a homeless charity known as The Passage, which holds a bit of nostalgia for him. The Duke of Cambridge first visited the organization as a child with his mother, the late Princess Diana of Wales, and has since dropped in several times throughout the years, according to Entertainment Tonight .
While visiting in 2016, the royal revealed that his visits as a child shaped his passion for combating homelessness.
“The visits I made as a child to this place left a deep and lasting impression upon me – about how important it is to ensure that everyone in our society, especially the poorest, are treated with respect, dignity, and kindness, and are given the opportunities to fulfill their potential in life,” William said.
In addition to announcing the news on social media, Kensington Palace shared a touching photo from the 36-year-old prince’s second visit to The Passage with his mother and brother, 34-year-old Prince Harry, back in 1994. The photo showed Diana, wearing blue pants with a gold belt and a white t-shirt, sitting in a folding chair as Harry sat on her lap. William perched on a table next to them and smiled at the camera.
Another photo showed the royals’ signatures in a guest book from 1993.
Meeting clients and volunteers from @PassageCharity ’s ‘Home for Good’ Programme.
The programme pairs formerly-homeless clients with local volunteers to help them settle into their new homes and community life. pic.twitter.com/JrKh3L3n0z
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) February 13, 2019
The Passage is the largest resource center for the homeless in the U.K., having served over 130,000 people through homeless prevention projects and accommodation services since its founding in 1980.
During William’s visit to the new patronage this week, he joined volunteers in the kitchen to prepare spaghetti bolognese for The Passage’s lunch service, Harper’s Bazaar reported. Photos from the outing, which were shared by Kensington Palace, showed the royal chopping carrots and serving guests while wearing an apron that read “The Passage to ending homelessness.”
Mick Clarke, Chief Executive of The Passage, provided a statement about William’s visit on Wednesday, according to a press release from Kensington Palace .
“During His Royal Highness’ visits to The Passage, it has been very clear that he has a deep concern for those affected by homelessness and a real interest in our work,” Clarke said.
“For His Royal Highness to further express his support for The Passage’s work by becoming our Royal Patron is a tremendous honor, and a testament to how much he genuinely cares about this issue.”
The fight to end homelessness has been one of the Duke’s core causes for several years. In addition to The Passage, William became the patron of Centrepoint, an organization aimed at assisting homeless young people, in 2005.
