Prince William says latest charity drive is inspired by Princess Diana in upcoming documentary

Prince William discusses the story behind his Homewards charity intiative in an upcoming documentary: “I have taken some inspiration and guidance from what my mother did". Photos / Getty Images

Prince William has taken inspiration from his late mother Princess Diana for his latest charity drive.

The royal, 42, was aged 15 when Diana was killed in a high-speed Paris car smash aged 36 in August 1997. For years she had been famous for her support for good causes.

William has told in a newly-released trailer for the upcoming ITV1 documentary Prince William: We Can End Homelessness about how her philanthropy is still giving him a boost: “I’ve slowly tried to work out what can I bring to the role and the platform that I have”.

“I have taken some inspiration and guidance from what my mother did, particularly with homelessness.”

William is helping fight homelessness with his Homewards initiative, and another section from the documentary trailer shows him talking with footballer Fara Williams, 40, who experienced homelessness for six years.

He is seen telling her: “You played for England and Chelsea whilst you were homeless.

Prince William and Princess Kate speaking with members of the Emergency Services during a visit to Southport, England, last week. Photo / Getty Images

“I don’t believe we should be living with homelessness in the 21st century.”

William’s documentary follows Homewards in its first year as the charity works to demonstrate it is possible to end homelessness.

Launched by William and The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, the initiative says its mission is to make homelessness “rare, brief and unrepeated” within the next five years.

The royal said in a statement about the group: “Homewards aims to give people across the UK hope that homelessness can be prevented by showing them the progress we can make when we collaborate”.

“It’s a big task, but I firmly believe that by working together it is possible to make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated, and I am very much looking forward to working with our six locations to make our ambition a reality.”

As a child, William and his younger brother Prince Harry, 40, would visit homeless charities with their mother as she wanted to expose them to the plight of others not born into privilege.

Diana was also a patron of Centrepoint, Britain’s leading youth homelessness charity.