Charles & Harry Just Joined Forces With Tom Hardy & The Reason Why Is SO Important

The Royal family are no strangers to putting their name to a cause and using their profiles to raise money, awareness, and support for those impacted by various issues. So, it is perhaps unsurprising that Prince Charles and Prince Harry's youth violence campaign looks to end one of the biggest issues impacting young people in Britain today. With the help of volunteers from The Prince's Trust, the Telegraph reported that Prince Charles and Prince Harry invited esteemed guests and a few celebrities to Clarence House on Dec. 12 to discuss the issue of youth violence and knife crime specifically. Prince Charles said:

“It does seem to me that this whole problem of youth crime, knife crime, violent crime, is becoming ever more prevalent and the numbers of people being killed to me represents an immense health and safety horror let alone the misery that poor parents and families have to go through increasingly.”

The Duke of Cornwall established The Prince's Trust 42 years ago, and over that period has dedicated his time and resources to tackling issues from substance abuse to improving the lives of young people with disabilities. Sky reported that the guests at Clarence House included former gang members, the parents and families of those who had lost loved ones to violence, and Prince's Trust ambassadors Gareth Southgate, Tom Hardy, and Tinie Tempah.

It was also reported that Omar Sharif attended the event. A former gang member, he was recently awarded the Pride of Britain Prince’s Trust Young Achiever of the Year award. He had a special message for Prince Charles, saying, “thank you for what you’ve set up because it saved my life.” Other attendees included Barry and Margaret Mizen, who set up a charity, the Jimmy Mizen Foundation, in memory of their son, Jimmy, who was murdered in 2008. Speaking at the event Barry Mizen said:

“The more we can listen to the experiences of those involved in youth violent crime; the perpetrators, the victims and the victims’ families the more we can learn about how to prevent it. This is why today is important, because people are listening.”

This is not the first time that the Duke of Sussex has put his time into looking at what can be done about youth violence and what support needs to be in place for families and loved ones effected by it. Sky reported that in 2015 Prince Harry started supporting a program in the St Ann’s area of Nottingham, Full Effect which aims to reduce violence within the city.

It is reported that the event ended with Prince Harry, Prince Charles, Prince's Trust volunteers, together with Gareth Southgate, Tom Hardy, and Tinie Tempah, listening to suggestions from the guests as to how youth violence and knife crime could be reduced. It is so refreshing and uplifting to know that those most effected by the issues at hand had their voices heard. Speaking about their aims Prince Charles said “we need to find better ways of helping people in that adolescent transition period to take part in some exciting, adventurous, constructive, sometimes risky — if you get past health and safety — opportunities.”