Prince William has demanded action to help combat “shameful” levels of youth homelessness in the UK.

Speaking at a Kensington Palace fundraising gala for Centrepoint, the charity for homeless young people, the Duke of Cambridge said: “The scale of youth homelessness in this country is now shameful – it must not be ignored. As a society we have a clear duty to redouble our efforts, to do more to help.”

The Duke, who is Centrepoint’s patron, told an audience including celebrities such as the singer Ellie Goulding: “Each year in the UK 150,000 young people turn to their local council for help.

“This Christmas as many as 25,000 young people will be at risk of homelessness. And behind that appalling statistic is a human being, not much older than many of our children and grandchildren, who is alone, frightened and confronted with impossible choices.”

During his speech at Thursday’s ‘Centrepoint at the Palace’ gala, which aimed to raise £1.5 million, the Duke also thanked Evgeny Lebedev, the owner of The Independent, for “backing Centrepoint’s vision” of providing an advice helpline for young people on the verge of homelessness.

Praising Centrepoint for “consistently seeing beyond the label 'homeless'”, he said: “First and foremost, these young people are ordinary people – like our sons and daughters and friends.

“The same hopes, the same anxieties, sense of adventure and wanting to find their way in life – but life has dealt them a cruel hand: family breakdown, addiction, the wrong crowd, bullying, poor mental health.”

The evening, hosted by Centrepoint ambassador Jonathan Ross, saw guests entertained by performances from Ellie Goulding and British band Dirty Vegas.

The causes of homelessness Show all 7 1 /7 The causes of homelessness The causes of homelessness Family Breakdown Relationship breakdown, usually between young people and their parents or step-parents, is a major cause of youth homelessness. Around six in ten young people who come to Centrepoint say they had to leave home because of arguments, relationship breakdown or being told to leave. Many have experienced long-term problems at home, often involving violence, leaving them without the family support networks that most of us take for granted The causes of homelessness Complex needs Young people who come to Centrepoint face a range of different and complex problems. More than a third have a mental health issue, such as depression and anxiety, another third need to tackle issues with substance misuse. A similar proportion also need to improve their physical health. These problems often overlap, making it more difficult for young people to access help and increasing the chances of them becoming homeless Getty/iStock The causes of homelessness Deprivation Young people's chances of having to leave home are higher in areas of high deprivation and poor prospects for employment and education. Many of those who experience long spells of poverty can get into problem debt, which makes it harder for them to access housing Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Gang Crime Homeless young people are often affected by gang-related problems. In some cases, it becomes too dangerous to stay in their local area meaning they can end up homeless. One in six young people at Centrepoint have been involved in or affected by gang crime Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Exclusion From School Not being in education can make it much more difficult for young people to access help with problems at home or health problems. Missing out on formal education can also make it more difficult for them to move into work Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Leaving Care Almost a quarter of young people at Centrepoint have been in care. They often have little choice but to deal with the challenges and responsibilities of living independently at a young age. Traumas faced in their early lives make care leavers some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities, with higher chances of poor outcomes in education, employment and housing. Their additional needs mean they require a higher level of support to maintain their accommodation Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Refugees Around 13 per cent of young people at Centrepoint are refugees or have leave to remain, meaning it isn't safe to return home. This includes young people who come to the UK as unaccompanied minors, fleeing violence or persecution in their own country. After being granted asylum, young people sometimes find themselves with nowhere to go and can end up homeless Getty Images/iStockphoto

The true stars of the night, however, were the nominees for the second annual Centrepoint Awards, which honour young people who have succeeded in turning their lives around after experiencing homelessness.

In his speech, Prince William described the evening as “A celebration of everything that young people are capable of when they are given the support they need.”

He added: “Whether fleeing war overseas, battling mental illness, enduring the dangers of sleeping on the streets, the young people of Centrepoint have come through experiences that could have broken the resolve of any one of us.”

As she prepared to meet the Duke of Cambridge, one award nominee, Comfort Orotayo, 23, from south London, revealed how six years ago, when she was 17, her “home” was sometimes a night bus.

Pushed towards homelessness by family breakdown, she sometimes had no option but to spend all night on a bus as it shuttled back and forth along its route.

“It seemed safer than sleeping in a doorway,” She told The Independent. “There was a roof, lighting and a driver. But it could be scary. Sometimes I would see fights kicking off between drunk people. And you didn’t know what tomorrow would be like. You kind of dreaded tomorrow.”

Taken in by friends, she was directed towards Centrepoint, and her life started to change.

During the 11 months she spent with Centrepoint, the charity – which produces positive outcomes for 90 per cent of the young people it works with - did much more than just find her permanent accommodation.

“They taught me the skills I needed to live life,” said Ms Orotayo. “Everything from healthy cooking to proper money management.”

Now working for the NHS as a clinical clerk, she was about to meet a prince as a potential award winner.

“I never thought that would happen when I was on the night bus!”