Monday 21 February 2022

Police to investigate Prince Charles' charity over ‘cash for honours


Police Launch Investigation Into Prince Charles's Charity

 

The Metropolitan Police launched an inquiry that the Prince’s Foundation exchanged donations for royal honors.

 

BY EMILY BURACK

 FEB 16, 2022

https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a39106254/police-investigation-prince-charles-charity-cash-honors/

 

The Metropolitan Police announced on Wednesday that detectives have begun an inquiry into Prince Charles's charity around cash-for-honors allegations that surfaced last year.

 

"The decision follows an assessment of a September 2021 letter. This related to media reporting alleging offers of help were made to secure honours and citizenship for a Saudi national," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. "Officers liaised with The Prince’s Foundation about the findings of an independent investigation into fundraising practices. The Foundation provided a number of relevant documents."

 

The charges of wrongdoing center on the Prince's Foundation, an educational charity that Charles founded, which allegedly exchanged donations for royal honors and British citizenship. The Metropolitan Police said their investigation is under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act of 1925—a law that makes the sale of peerages or any other honors illegal.

 

The chief executive of the Prince's Foundation was, until September 2021, Michael Fawcett—one of Prince Charles's closest confidants and aides. Fawcett was accused of helping to arrange a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire—the highest rank of the OBE awards) for Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, in addition to offering to help secure British citizenship for him. Fawcett resigned shortly after the allegations surfaced. Per the Times, Mahfouz has donated more than £1.5 million to royal charities, including some of Charles's pet projects like the restoration of Dumfries House and the Castle of Mey in Scotland. Mahfouz reportedly denies any wrongdoing.

 

"The Prince of Wales had no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities," Clarence House said in a statement to Town & Country.

 

According to the police, there have been no arrests or interviews under caution yet.


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