Prince William’s advisor has praised his commitment to practical solutions in solving the homelessness crisis after his speculative olive branch towards Prince Harry.
Speaking ahead of his documentary release about tackling homelessness, the Prince of Wales’s homelessness adviser, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, opened up about her admiration for the royal and what he is like to work with.
Sabrina told ITV’s This Morning: “One of the things he was really keen on was making sure that he’s listening to people who have been there so we can try and do things that are really practical.”
She added: “Every time I’ve met the prince, he has been so focused on the human impact of homelessness and I think it’s really easy when you’re trying to do a programme as big as this and a challenge as big as ending homelessness to just focus on the strategy and forget about the people.”
The two-part series, aired today, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, follows the future King as he embarks on his Homewards initiative, a project launched by the prince last year to combat homelessness in the UK.
Sabrina also detailed the areas Prince William was concerned about: “He’s so focused on the trauma and the complexity and the impact on individuals and that for me has been a real privilege to be able to see that in action.”
This comes after the Prince of Wales sparked speculation he had offered an ‘olive branch’ to his younger brother, the Duke of Sussex. In a clip ahead of the documentary release, Prince William made a rare mention of his younger brother, Prince Harry, despite ongoing tensions between the pair.
In the documentary, the heir to the throne offers a glimpse into childhood visits with his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, to shelters at the young age of 11, with his brother.
In the documentary, William says: “She took Harry and I both there. I must have been about 11, I think probably… Maybe 10. I’d never been to anything like that before.”
These comments marked a rare mention of his younger brother as the brothers are currently not on speaking terms after Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, decided to quit royal duties in 2020, and eventually re-settle in Montecito, California.
William’s childhood recollection did not go any further than that, with no mention of the Duchess of Sussex. Harry and William last met in person when they attended a memorial service for their mother’s brother-in-law Lord Robert Fellowes in August, but the two “kept their distance”.
In the programme, William says: “I have taken some inspiration and guidance from what my mother did, particularly with homelessness. That has grown more over the last few years.”
Since new details emerged about the documentary today, royal fans have been quick to praise the prince on social media, with many believing his mother would be very “proud” of him.
One fan wrote on Instagram: “William is truly his mother’s son. Diana would be so proud of her boy (her soulmate, as she said). We love you, William. Thank you for your incredible work.”
Another fan said: “You truly are your mother’s son! She would be so proud of you and your work! I think we as a country feel you’re upholding her legacy with honour and love.”
The documentary will be in two parts, with the first airing on October 30 and the second on October 31 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX, STV and STV Player.
