Princess of Wales backs The Independent’s Christmas cost of living campaign

On The Breadline: ‘The money raised will make a real difference to communities and families’

The Princess of Wales today backed our On The Breadline Christmas appeal in partnership with the Evening Standard to help people struggling with the cost of living crisis.

In a heartfelt message, she thanked our readers and partners for supporting our “incredibly important” appeal, which she said is making a real difference to those in need.

The princess, who has worked tirelessly for a decade to improve the lives of young people, spoke about the importance of helping families who are doing all they can to make sure their children are safe from the worst ravages of the crisis.

Click here to donate to our campaign via Comic Relief

The Princess of Wales said: “As millions of people face increasingly difficult times over the coming months, it has never been more important for us to support families who are working so hard to protect their children from the devastating impact of food and energy insecurity.

“Thank you to the Evening Standard, your partners and your readers, who have been so generous in the first week of this incredibly important Christmas campaign.”

The Princess of Wales has backed our Christmas campaign (AFP via Getty)

She went on: “The money raised will make a real difference to communities and families across London and the whole of the UK, by funding vital help and support for those struggling most this winter.”

Lord Lebedev, proprietor of the Evening Standard and a major shareholder in The Independent, thanked the princess for her support and said: “We are grateful to the Princess of Wales for her support of our campaign.

Lord Lebedev distributes food at St Paul’s primary school in Whitechapel, east London (Lucy Young)

Click here to donate to our campaign via The Childhood Trust

“This is one of the most important appeals we have run, and we thank Her Royal Highness for recognising the important contribution we are making to the most vulnerable in our society.”

Our royal-endorsed campaign is providing urgent support to those worst affected by the cost of living crisis, working with The Childhood Trust to fund community projects in London and with Comic Relief to fund projects across the country. Last week, Comic Relief pledged £1m to get our appeal under way, and this week The Childhood Trust has pledged £500,000.

Leading public figures backing our appeal include the Duke of Westminster and celebrities including Olivia Colman, David Tennant and Lenny Henry. Their support comes as inflation hits a 40-year high, with an estimated 4.3 million children living in poverty and more people forced to choose between heating and eating.

( Independent)

The Princess of Wales has worked for many years to help children and has a special interest in their development. She has said she wants to “change the way we think about early childhood, and transform lives for generations to come”.

She has spearheaded pioneering work, culminating in the announcement of the launch of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which will drive awareness of the extraordinary impact of the early years of childhood and promote action to ensure that future generations benefit from this knowledge.

Click here to donate to our On The Breadline campaign. You can also show support by tweeting the hashtag #onthebreadline.