Prince William's surprise visit to homeless shelter revealed after photos surface online

Prince William has delighted locals during a surprise visit to a homeless shelter.

The Duke of Cambridge, the Royal Patron of The Passage Charity, popped into their London centre on three separate occasions in the lead up to Christmas.

Sharing details of his visits, the charity said the father-of-three "helped pack food and spoke to homeless residents" about their experiences during the coronavirus pandemic.

"The Duke worked alongside a team of volunteers to prepare hot meals for individuals who had recently been moved off the streets and into emergency hotel accommodation," they said.

The charity decided to share details of the Duke's visits "Because we thought you might need a good news story!"

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In the photo, the royal can be seen dutifully wearing an apron and face mask as he packs brown paper bags.

The Duke of Cambridge was named Royal Patron for the charity in February 2019. The appointment came following years of visits to the homeless shelter, which began as a child alongside his mum, Princess Diana.

Volunteers from the charity have managed to serve over 70,000 meals to those in need across both the April and November lockdowns in the UK.

Now, as England faces another lengthy lockdown the charity is urging people more fortunate to dig deep and help them in their efforts, as the number of homelessness in the capital look to hit its highest levels in 15 years.

It's not the first time the Duke or indeed other members of the British Royal Family have volunteered within the local community amid the coronavirus pandemic in the hopes of boosting morale - William and wife Kate have taken on a number of tasks, including calling a bingo game for seniors in aged care.

The couple also made their way around the country on a Royal Train Tour in December, to thank frontline workers from their efforts across 2020.