Prince William meets with close pal just one week after Prince Harry reunion
Prince William meets with close pal just one week after Prince Harry reunion
PA
Prince William met up with a close friend after he returned to royal duties, just one week after his reunion with his estranged brother, Prince Harry.
The 42-year-old’s first post-summer engagement saw him attend a homeless exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery, in Chelsea London.
He visited the gallery for the Homelessness: Reframed exhibition which looks to bring to life the issues surrounding homelessness, and whilst there, bumped into a close pal.
The future King and Dave Martin, a Big Issue seller, first became acquainted with one another when William quietly joined Martin to help sell copies of the magazine on the streets of central London in 2022.
Prince William meets with close pal just one week after Prince Harry reunionPA
William visiting the gallery for the exhibition
PA
Following their first meeting, the pair exchange Christmas cards and Martin has even interviewed the future King for the Big Issue.
“Dave, lovely to see you again. How have you been?” William beamed as he saw his old pal, giving him a friendly pat on the back.
Martin is also an artist and his work features in the exhibition, which William instantly spotted for his signature geometric shapes.
“He recognised my work straight away,” he proudly said.
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The pair first met in 2022 and have become close since
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The Prince of Wales founded Homewards in June 2023 as part of his mission to end homelessness
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After the two spent an afternoon selling copies of the magazine in 2022, the two headed to The Passage – a support centre Princess Diana famously took William and Prince Harry to in 1993.
Asked about the day, William said: “I really enjoyed it. I could have spent many more hours out there with you.
“The Big Issue is something that’s been around for a long time. It is part of UK history. I think at times it’s had peaks and troughs in terms of its visibility. People don’t know enough about it.
“The fact that we’ve been through a pandemic, and realising what that’s done for The Big Issue, but also for homelessness, how much that’s troubled everything.”
William then reminisced about his mum, saying homelessness has “stuck with him as an issue” ever since Diana took him to The Passage.
Prince William and Prince Harry reportedly did not interact at the funeral GettyIt comes just one week after he came face-to-face with his brother at his uncle’s funeral - their first meeting in over a year.
The feuding brothers were in the same room, however, sources claimed that they did not speak to one another.
The Prince of Wales founded Homewards in June 2023 as part of his mission to end homelessness and change the narrative and stereotypes around the crisis.
The exhibition features “exceptional works” from UK and foreign artists including Martin, David Tovey, Simone Brewster and Surfing Sofas - with Paul Foster, the Saatchi Gallery's director, urging the public to take a look “with an open mind”.