娱乐英语新闻:Prince William experiences being homeless

BEIJING, Dec. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- British Prince William slept a night on a London street for experiencing the situation of being homeless, according to news reports on Wednesday.

    The prince spent the night in a sleeping bag next to rubbish bins in central London in an organized event by a homeless charity Centrepoint.

    The charity's chief executive slept next to the prince and said they were frightened as a moment came that they were nearly hit by a road sweeper.

Britain's Prince William (R) and Seyi Obakin, CEO for the Centrepoint charity for homeless people, stand near Blackfriars Bridge in London in this December 15, 2009 photograph made available in London on December 22, 2009. Both Prince William and Seyi Obakin slept rough for the night, after the charity organised the opportunity for the Prince to experience a night sleeping on the streets

    It is reported that they woke up in the street at 6 o'clock in the morning and walked to the West End to meet other participants who were also experiencing the homeless' sleep.

    A spokesman from St. James's Palace said, "Prince William took away from the experience the importance of tackling all the issues that cause people to be homeless and stay homeless, from drug dependency to mental health problems."