The Truth About Prince William's Secret Job Out On The Streets

Prince William has lived his life in the public eye as a member of the British royal family, but growing up, his mother Princess Diana wanted to keep him and his brother, Prince Harry, grounded. One habit she encouraged in her kids is also one that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge now use for their kids — writing thank you notes, per MyLondon. Another way that Princess Diana worked to keep William and Harry humble, grateful, and connected to the world beyond palace walls was taking them to visit places like homeless shelters.

In the controversial interview with BBC's Martin Bashir, she explained that she did so because she wanted "them to have an understanding of people's emotions, people's insecurities, people's distress, and people's hopes and dreams." She also noted that it gave them "knowledge." As she put it, "They may never use it, but the seed is there, and I hope it will grow because knowledge is power." She didn't need to worry; her sons have used that knowledge. And one of those ways is when Prince William took to a London street to sell newspapers.

The Big Issue is a street newspaper that is sold by homeless people or those at risk of becoming homeless. That certainly doesn't describe Prince William, but nonetheless, with no fanfare or announcement of the plan, he was spotted out selling the newspapers in central London wearing the same red hat and vest that any The Big Issue vendor would, via BBC. By selling the newspaper, vendors are able to earn money, and according to their website, the Big Issue Foundation also works to get their vendors access to housing and medical help.

This isn't the first time that Prince William has worked in aid of the homeless. He became the royal patron of the homeless charity Centrepoint in 2005 — a role that his mother once held, via Vanity Fair. He also spoke at an event at a London homeless shelter and recalled coming there with his mother, per The U.S. Sun. It sounds like those childhood visits clearly planted the seed that Princess Diana hoped they would.