Prince George signs homeless shelter yearbook in poignant moment 32 years after Diana's visit

Prince George, 12, signed the visitors’ book at The Passage homeless charity’s St Vincent’s centre in London, a moment that ties 32 years of royal history to the grandmother he never met and to his father’s early connection with the charity. The royal youngster also helped prepare Christmas lunch at the shelter last week and was said to be fascinated to see the signatures of Diana and an 11-year-old William recorded in the visitors’ book.

William, who has served as The Passage’s patron since 2019, led George through the charity’s kitchen during what Mick Clarke, The Passage’s chief executive, called a “proud-dad moment” for the prince. Clarke described the spotlight moment as almost ceremonial: “We looked at the page that I had from William's first visit with his mum... And there was a gap underneath it. And so we'd asked William, 'Do you think George would like to sign this?' And he was like, 'Yeah, that would be great'.” The moment carried additional weight as George’s reaction to seeing his grandmother’s name in the book was described as breathless, with witnesses hearing him whisper, “Wow.” Clarke added: “It was a lovely moment in terms of almost coming full-circle from 1993 to the end of 2025.” In a private exchange captured by onlookers, William leaned in to his son and said, “That's my mum. And this was the very first day that she took me to The Passage.”

Inside the kitchen, George was “stuck in” as he helped cook a Christmas meal for homeless people, while William supervised volunteers loading care packages for those unable to attend the lunch. The two royals were photographed in the kitchen with Head Chef Claudette Dawkins and Clarke, as George and William moved between tasks with evident ease. Clarke said there was “lots of banter” as William prepared the sprouts and George helped with the Yorkshire puddings, underscoring the relaxed dynamic between father and son during the charity visit.

The pair also joined volunteers in decorating a Christmas tree donated to The Passage from Westminster Abbey, a gesture connected to Catherine, the Princess of Wales, whose carol service earlier this month helped lift donations for the shelter. Clarke highlighted how the visit illustrated the family’s long-standing commitment to The Passage, noting that William became patron in 2019 and has maintained a steady role in the charity’s work. Clarke added that the moment represented more than a simple signature; it was a tangible link between Diana’s first visit in 1993 and the family’s ongoing charitable engagement in 2025.

The event, while intimate in its setting, carried broader significance for royal charity work. As Clarke observed, the scene “felt like coming full-circle from 1993 to the end of 2025,” and he described the mood as both celebratory and reflective of the royals’ continued involvement with The Passage. George’s participation — from preparing meals to signing the yearbook — offered a rare, hands-on glimpse of a new generation carrying forward a tradition of public service that began with his grandmother and father. The day closed with mutual smiles and a sense that the family’s connection to the shelter would endure, even as George grows into his role within the public eye.