News Beat
Prince William and George follow Diana’s footsteps and prepare Christmas lunch for the homeless
Prince George helped prepare Christmas lunches for the homeless with his father Prince William – a tradition which was started in 1993 by Diana, Princess of Wales.
The young prince, 12, visited St Vincent’s Centre in Victoria, a Passage hub that has a personal significance for William, due to its connection with his mother.
For George, it was his first visit and he signed the same page of the visitor’s book where Diana and William added their names 32 years ago.
The princes helped to prepare the Christmas lunch alongside head chef Claudette Dawkins, with William on Brussels sprouts and George helping make Yorkshire puddings.
The table was set for a festive lunch and decorated with Aston Villa crackers – the Premier League team supported by the two royals – and the Christmas tree was embellished with baubles and hand-made decorations.
They also met some of the people the charity supports, including Sarah and Brian, who met through the charity when The Passage helped them find homes after sleeping rough. The couple plan to hold their wedding reception at the centre.
Later, they assisted in baking cupcakes and prepared care packages which contained Greggs bakery vouchers, toiletries, socks and snack bars, which were later distributed to people unable to attend the lunch.
Mick Clarke, the chief executive of The Passage, described the visit as a “proud dad moment,” The Times reported.
Mr Clarke told George about their No Night Out campaign, which aims to prevent someone from spending even one night on the streets by offering early support.
Speaking after the visit, Mr Clarke recalled a conversation he had with George: “I said, ‘You know, your dad’s been involved with The Passage for many, many years. Your grandma took him to The Passage when he was about your age.
“And what you’re going to be doing today is helping us prepare for our Christmas lunch, which is a really important day because it’s for people who perhaps won’t have a place that they can call home this Christmas.”
It comes after the Prince and Princess of Wales shared a new family photograph, chosen for the couple’s 2025 Christmas card.
The image, released on Kensington Palace’s social media, shows William and Kate sitting on the grass amid spring daffodils surrounded by their children George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Charlotte, 10, is resting her head on her father’s shoulder and holding onto his arm, a relaxed Louis is leaning back sitting between William’s legs, and Kate has her arm around George.
The post reads: “Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas.”
The family snapshot was taken by photographer Josh Shinner in Norfolk in April.
