George has just followed in the footsteps of his grandmother Diana on a visit that carries significant symbolic weight. Last Tuesday, William took him to The Passage, the same homeless shelter where Diana took William when he was 11 years old in 1993.
George is 12, almost the same age, and the experience was almost a mirror of the past. He spent an hour helping prepare Christmas meals for the homeless, putting together care packages with £10 vouchers for Greggs, toiletries, socks, and snacks.
He also decorated a Christmas tree donated by Westminster Abbey (which, incidentally, came from Kate’s Together at Christmas carol concert), prepared Yorkshire puddings while William peeled Brussels sprouts, and even decorated cupcakes for dessert.
The most emotional moment came at the end, when George signed the guest book on the same page where Diana and William had signed in 1993. Mick Clarke, executive director of The Passage, recalls that when George saw his grandmother and father’s signatures, he exclaimed, “Wow.” It was a moment when William could say, “That’s my mum.” And this was the very first day she took me to The Passage.
Clarke described it as “a proud dad moment,” a moment when William was able to share something clearly meaningful with his eldest son. William has been a patron of The Passage since 2019 and leads Homewards, a program to end homelessness.
During the visit, George met Sarah and Brian, a couple who met through The Passage after experiencing homelessness. They are now engaged and plan to hold their wedding reception at the organization’s headquarters.
Sarah told George something that perfectly sums up the purpose of that place: “Christmas is a time for family.” We don’t have a family, so this is our family. William introduced them, saying he had known them for years, and asked them to share their story.
Clarke says George listened attentively and was clearly comfortable throughout the visit, not at all uncomfortable in the kitchen. In fact, it seemed to him that George also does “bits and pieces” at home.
William and The Passage had been planning the visit for a couple of years, waiting for the right moment to involve George. William previously mentioned that he tells his children about the homeless people they see on their way to school.
After spending an hour at The Passage, George and William attended the royal family’s Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace. The Passage gave them three teddy bears, one for each child, and William later sent food baskets with cakes and other items to be distributed at the residential centers.