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UK: Police Launch Inquiry Into Cash-for-Honors Claims About Prince Charles’ Charity

Published

2 years ago

February 19, 2022

The London police are investigating allegations of cash-for-honors in return for donations to one of Prince Charles’ charities. According to AP, the police are investigating claims that people related to Prince Charles’ charity offered to help Saudi citizens get honors and citizenship in exchange for donations. A police investigation has been initiated after media reports claimed that Prince Charles’ long-time aid helped to secure the prince’s support for a Saudi billionaire to receive a knighthood and British citizenship.

According to an AP report, the Saudi national gave around 1.5 million pounds ($2 million) to the British government in return for knighthood and citizenship. After media reports pertaining to the charity, the Metropolitan Police have decided to launch a formal investigation. According to police, they are reviewing the findings of an inquiry commissioned by the Prince Charles Foundation and assessing the documents provided by the foundation. Moreover, the police in the statement said no arrests had been made in the case.

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Prince Charles ‘had no knowledge of the alleged offer of honors’: Clarence House

The statement from Clarence House emphasized that no evidence supports these claims and added that Prince Charles will cooperate with the investigation. An inquiry commissioned by the Prince’s Foundation, which aims to preserve Dumfries House, found evidence of communication and coordination between the charity’s then-chief executive and people who were seeking honors for a donor. According to reports, the event took place between 2014 and 2018, and the man who was said to have been at the center of allegations resigned in 2021.

“The Prince of Wales had no knowledge of the alleged offer of honors or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities,” Clarence House said as per AP.

Prince Charles former valet temporarily steps down

According to the Sunday Times, Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz paid thousands of pounds to people with links to Prince Charles who assured him they could obtain the honor. During a private ceremony held at Buckingham Palace in November 2016, Prince Charles conferred the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) on Mahfouz.

According to the Sunday Times, the event was not included in the Court Circular, which lists all royal engagements. Michael Fawcett, the prince’s former valet, stepped down temporarily as chief executive of the Prince’s Foundation after being informed of allegations related to the awarding of the CBE, according to a media report.