William wants to ‘go a step further’ than family in supporting causes

The Prince of Wales has said he wants to “go a step further” than his family and bring real change to the causes he supports.

Speaking to journalists on the last day of his visit to Singapore for the Earthshot Prize awards, William praised the royal family’s work “spotlighting” causes, but said he wanted to do more than just be a patron.

One of the causes he said he wanted to focus on is the homelessness sector, adding he wanted to help build homes and deliver mental health support, education and employment opportunities.

I care about so many things and previously the family have been very much spotlighting brilliantly and going round and highlighting lots - I want to go a step further - I want to actually bring change and I want to bring people to the table who can do the change if I can’t do it.

William said: “So I think the thing that ties it all together for me is about social leadership.

“That’s what I’m trying to find my way in, is I care about so many things, and previously the family have been very much spotlighting brilliantly and going round and highlighting lots – I want to go a step further – I want to actually bring change and I want to bring people to the table who can do the change if I can’t do it.

“And so it’s all about progressing, helping and advancing particular social causes that need to be given more support.

“I’ve been in the homelessness sector for a long time now, and so rather than just being patron I want to do more, I want to actually build the homes, I want to provide them with the mental support, all the employment and the education they might need.”

The prince added: “So it’s all these wraparound services, it’s kind of going deeper and longer, than it is the case of just having loads of causes that you sort of turn up and keep an eye on.

“It’s more about: how do I show my intent more? How do we do more for you? And give you a better, better future.

“But you have to remain focused, if you spread yourself too thin you just can’t manage it and you won’t deliver the impact or the change that you really want to happen.”

William was speaking after the third annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony was held on Tuesday evening, which recognises solutions to “repair” the planet, and saw five winners handed £1 million each to support efforts to scale their innovative climate and environmental solutions.

William said he was “still digesting” after the ceremony and that Earthshot was “still on the go, doing loads of meetings” and added that this year “feels bigger than last year, so we’re progressing and we’re building as we go”.

He added: “I think that’s the key aim is that every year we’ve got to get bigger and reach more people – the profile is massive so we need to make that bigger and better.

“And this is the first time we’ve come into Asia, so it’s important the Asian market see us, know what the actual prize is. We’ve predominantly obviously done western with the UK and Boston.

“So I think it’s all about working out: where do we go next? How do we join the dots?”

He added that the impact investment side is “really crucial” because Earthshot is not “just an awards ceremony”.

William said: “People think this is philanthropy. They think it’s just a prize ceremony. It’s not, this is so much more.

“It’s about, how much impact can we achieve by scaling and building up and spotlighting these incredible people with brilliant solutions?

“We’ve just got to join some more dots between policy regulators, governments’ money, and then you blend it all together and then see the impact from that.”