Prince Harry recently condemned what he calls a “disappointing” and “deliberately” vague The Sunday Times report. The article in question is all about Prince Charles’ former aide Michael Fawcett and the charity scandal surrounding him. Fawcett’s exit from his role as chief executive of the Prince’s Foundation came after a series of reports about how the former footman to Queen Elizabeth allegedly offered to secure knighthood and British citizenship for Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz in exchange for charity donations.
Last week, an inquiry discovered that the former close confidant of Charles did work with fixers for nominations and honors between 2014 and 2018, and The Sunday Times has now suggested the Duke of Sussex’s Sentebale charity received donations from Mahfouz in 2013 a meeting with Prince Harry himself.
Videos by PopCulture.com
“It is disappointing that The Sunday Times, knowing all the facts, has chosen to encourage speculation by being deliberately vague to try to create a falsified link between the Duke of Sussex and the CBE scandal, of which he had no knowledge or involvement,” a statement to the Times from the royal reads. “The Duke and his advisers, as well as his non-profit Sentebale, severed ties with Mr Mahfouz and his associates in 2015, no longer accepting further donations to Sentebale and discontinuing any plans for a fundraising event amid growing concerns over the motives for his support.”
“The Duke had one planned meeting with this donor nearly eight years ago, did not introduce him to any members of the royal family, and expressed his concerns about the donor,” the statement concluded. Last week’s inquiry also found that “no evidence that employees or trustees of the Prince’s Foundation were aware of private dinners being ‘sold’ or arranged in exchange for money.”
A spokesperson from Clarence House said in response to the report, “The Prince of Wales is grateful to independent auditors for reviewing procedures at the Prince’s Foundation, who are today announcing a series of findings. It is important to His Royal Highness that the charities which bear his name operate to the highest standards, in accordance with rules established by charity regulators. We are taking this opportunity to reinforce guidance to these charities, particularly in respect of their relationships with supporters.”
