The Prince's Night as a Pauper

Prince William walked in the footsteps of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, showing his humanitarian side by spending a very cold winter night on the streets in one of London's diciest neighborhood. Second in line to the throne, he slept on the sidewalk in an alley near the River Thames in support of UK charity Centrepoint. This photo was released showing the prince dressed down and somewhat unrecognizable as he prepared to sleep in the alley on December 15.

Just after midnight — with a minimal amount of security — William prepared his makeshift bed. It was a tattered sleeping bag and cardboard boxes for the entire night before making breakfast for a group of homeless youth the next morning. Definitely not the queen's palace.

As Centrepoint spent 2009 celebrating its 40th anniversary, the prince has been a key participant in building awareness about the organization's main goal: