Royal Family: Scepticism raised about whether or not their charity work is actually helping

As the Christmas season is in full swing the royal members of the Royal Family are ramping up their public engagements. Part of those are charity events. An engagement of the Princess of Wales, recently made headlines as she took her three children to a baby bank in order to pack Christmas presents.

In honour of the Waleses' visit a video was released showing the family joyfully choosing and wrapping gifts. However, what was supposed to be a sweet video shifting the focus from the ‘racial row’ to the Princess of Wales’ work has ended up being another faux pas by the royal.

Anti-poverty campaigners raise concerns

As reported by The Guardian, anti-poverty campaigners have raised concerns about the royals visits’ to baby banks. Indeed, the campaigners fear that the royals' videos and posts about these events ‘risk normalising the idea that charity is the answer to poverty.’

Sabine Goodwin, director of the Independent Food Aid Network told The Guardian:

There’s a fine line between soliciting donations with a positive spin and normalising a charitable response to poverty.

It is important to note that Goodwin doesn’t criticise the Princess of Wales’ intentions. Indeed, she believes that her ‘heart is undoubtedly in the right place’. However, she fears that the royal patronages encourage the normalisation of those charities.

Goodwin added:

We need to be collectively shouting from the rooftops that baby banks, like warm banks, fuel banks and food banks, shouldn’t be needed.

A call of warning echoed by other by other charity leaders such as Ames Taylo of Greater Manchester Money Advice Group who welcomed the video of the Waleses at the baby bank sarcastically. On X, he said:

Thank goodness there were cameras that we might know of such good deeds.

We are a rich country - there should be no ‘baby banks’, no Foodbanks, and no ‘warm spaces’.

People should have enough to get by. And the safety net should keep people safe.

In the comments of his own tweet he added, with even more irony:

A day out at the baby bank mummy, how exciting! Will we see some poor people?!

Concerns echoed by the public

The concerns are not just coming from campaigners and charity leaders, they also come from the general public. Under an article published by The Telegraph on 12 December talking about Prince William serving Christmas dinner at a homelessness charity you do not have to scroll far to see that people are more than doubtful about the good that he is bringing to the cause.

One reader of the newspaper writes:

Starmer has just mentioned at PMQs that there will be 140,000 children homeless this Christmas. This is very worrying. Selling the "Big Issue" and canteen photo shoots are just PR stunts.

Adding on,

William, you are in a position to make a difference. If you are committed to this project, which many doubt, then dedicate some meaningful time and use your influence to do something about it as the existing efforts are clearly not working.

Another reader says:

They exploit the poor and vulnerable for their own propaganda - it's a disgrace

A third voices her scepticism:

This is very nice to see. Williams Christmas Dinner will be extremely lavish. I'm sure they could give a few million to make it possible that these guys to have somewhere safe to live. They have numerous castles and Palaces with multiple rooms. It's sad to see homeless folks like these

This also follows the criticism that the Prince and Princess of Wales are once again not at the top of the list of royals who do the most engagements even though they are the youngest working royals.

However, even though those critics are valid, it is important to remember that the royals’ role is also, if not mostly, to raise awareness of these issues which these events and videos do. What do you think of these publicised charity visits?

Read more:

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Sources:

Ames Taylor or Twitter

The Guardian: Anti-poverty campaigners raise concerns over royal visits to baby banks

The Telegraph: Watch: Prince William serves Christmas dinner at homeless charity