Princes take on Lawless London: Tom Hardy, Gareth Southgate and Tinie Tempah join Charles and son Harry for Clarence House talk with families devastated by gang violence
- Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex join discussion about youth violent crime at Clarence House in London
- They speak with Prince’s Trust ambassadors and families of crime victims along with Hardy and Southgate
- It comes after Harry attended a round table discussion on violence with mental health charity last month
- So far this year in London, there have been more than 120 homicides – with yet another in Lee last night
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The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex today joined actor Tom Hardy, England football manager Gareth Southgate and rapper Tinie Tempah in a discussion about youth violent crime.
Charles and his youngest son Harry also met Pride of Britain winner Omar Sharif, who rose from a life embroiled with gangs in London and the pain of being homeless to running his own personal fitness business.
The prince and the duke spoke at Clarence House in London with Prince’s Trust ambassadors, families of victims of youth violent crime, and community groups and practitioners.
Prince Charles (centre right) and Harry (far right) sit at a discussion with Tom Hardy (far left) at Clarence House this morning
England football manager Gareth Southgate (rear, centre) and rapper Tinie Tempah (left, standing up) are also at the event
It comes hours after detectives launched a murder investigation and arrested five people after another teenager was stabbed to death in South East London last night. It happened at about 9.50pm in Lee, near Lewisham.
Last month, Harry attended a round table discussion on youth violence in London, co-facilitated by young people from MAC UK, a mental health charity for excluded young people.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick insists the tide is turning against the crime rise, but admitted it would take a long time to tackle the 180 violent gangs in London that are ‘busy’ dragging children into crime.
So far this year in the capital, there have been more than 120 homicides. Ms Dick told LBC that after three years of gun and knife crime increasing, the rate is now starting to level off and come down.
The talk was part of the Trust’s ongoing work to help disadvantaged and vulnerable young people following the increase in violent crime committed by young people in the UK’s urban centres, Clarence House said.
Topics covered will include using social media to amplify inspiring voices; how role models can influence behaviour; how to engage young people in alternative activities; and giving young people a greater stake in the economy and society.
Charles set up The Prince’s Trust in 1976 in response to social unrest and high levels of youth unemployment.
The organisation’s business start-up programme began in 1983 following conversations with young people in the aftermath of the Brixton and Toxteth riots.