As extraordinary details about the relationship of the Saudi billionaire and the heir to throne emerged, Prince Charles was subject to new allegations regarding the “cash for honors” scandal.
A report by The Sunday Times claimed that the Prince of Wales sent Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz a ‘thank you’ letter and a carriage clock gift after he donated £1million to his foundation that looks after two Scottish estates.
The generous donor was also hosted by the Prince for a private CBE investiture in Buckingham Palace in 2016 – with claims the award was fixed in return for £1.5million in donations.
Michael Fawcett, for years a trusted ally and senior valet of Prince Charles, resigned last month amid claims he had promised to secure the honour and a British citizenship in return for the donations.
After Prince Harry claimed he had ‘raised concern’ over the Saudi billionaire donor, it is now. He claimed that he had’motives and expressed his concern’ over him.
Scotland Yard’s special inquiry team are now looking into the case, and have sent a formal letter requesting correspondence between royal aides about the possible fixing of the honour which could carry a two-year prison sentence under the 1925 Honours (Prevention of Abuse) Act.
Reports looking into the ‘cash for honours’ scandal claim that Prince Charles sent Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz (pictured together) a ‘thank you’ letter and even a gift after he donated £1million to his foundation that looks after two Scottish estates
After the newspaper published details about Charles’ contact with Mahfouz, it will cause nervousness in the royal household.
Clarence House insists that Charles did not know about the “cash-for honors” deal.
Questions have since been raised about the knowledge of Charles prior to his award of the CBE. The Mail reported last week that Charles is said to be willing to speak to detectives over the allegations.
Michael Fawcett stepped down as chief executive of The Prince’s Foundation in November after being confronted with a letter in which he said the Royal charity would be ‘happy and willing’ to use its influence to help Mahfouz, who had given it hundreds of thousands of pounds.
His private contract for Charles’ events was terminated after he offered help to a billionaire Saudi donor.
In an astonishing statement, Prince Harry said that he did not participate in the “CBE scandal”. He also claimed that he was concerned about the motivations of the Saudi businessman and stated that he expressed his concern about his father.
Following Mahfouz’s revelation, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex commented.
According to royal watchers, the intervention shows that the father and son are still not at peace after Megxit or the bombshells dropped in March by the Sussexes during their Oprah interview.
Harry never revealed the name of who Harry raised his reservations. However, Clarence House insiders claim that Harry said it wasn’t with them. According to one source, “No one remembers that there,” A second source, close to Prince Charles, claimed that there were no negotiations between the royal families about Mahfouz.
Harry said that he became concerned about Mahfouz after they met twice.
Independent investigation found that Fawcett was in league with Mahfouz ‘fixers,’ who wanted to get a high honor for their donations.
Mahfouz is thought to have donated at least £1.5 million to royal charities.
This comes following Prince Harry’s claim that he raised concerns about Saudi billionaire donors’motives.’ He also claimed that he had ‘expressed concerns’ regarding him. (pictured together).
According to the Duke of Sussex, when he severed ties with Mahfouz 2015, he “expressed his concern about the donor”. However, he did not specify to whom these concerns were expressed.
Charles gave the honorary CBE to the Saudi billionaire in a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Mahfouz, the Prince of Wales, and Charles also met privately in Saudi Arabia and Scotland.
Clarence House reiterated that Charles knew nothing about the ‘cash-for-access’ allegations. But it declined to comment on Harry raising concerns regarding Mahfouz.
While the Metropolitan Police made some initial inquiries about Mr Fawcett’s whereabouts, a more thorough investigation was not launched.
It has previously been reported that Charles and Mahfouz first met in 2014 at Clarence House – Charles’ official residence – with Fawcett, 59, and Mahfouz’s fixer also in attendance.
According to reports, the pair discussed how Saudi Arabia could help with the restoration of Dumfries House in Ayrshire, which is an 18-century mansion located on one of their estates.
Mahfouz has been reported to be interested in the project. He is also believed to have expressed an interest in having the garden named in his honor.
This then resulted in a proposed partnership being put in writing by the fixer, with a £1 million sum being donated and a garden personally renamed as the Mahfouz Garden.
In a show of the close personal connection they had developed, Charles followed up in his own capacity, sending a ‘thank you’ letter to Mahfouz along with a gift, a miniature carriage clock.
Charles and Mahfouz began to donate a month after the exchange. They held an October ceremony to rename the garden. The Saudi prince posed for photographs with him.
Michael Fawcett (pictured), for decades a trusted ally of Prince Charles and senior valet to him, decided last month to resign amid allegations that he had promised to obtain the honour and British citizenship in exchange for donations
They continued to be close and their relationship culminated in a private CBE investiture at Buckingham Palace by Mahfouz. He was permitted to bring his entire family.
While honour ceremonies can usually include a line of 60 people waiting to receive their certificates from the Queen or a representative, Mahfouz was given the ‘highly unusual’ honour of a completely private ceremony in the Blue Drawing Room, a stunning hall in Buckingham Palace usually reserved for heads of state.
The ceremony was held in complete secrecy. Mahfouz’s fixer needed to remain outside the venue while it took place.
Even reports claim that Charles and Camilla broke traditions by shaking hands during the beginning of the ceremony with Mahfouz.
Mahfouz is said to have been given the honor and presented with a certificate after taking photographs of his younger brothers and son.
Pictures of the event weren’t made public and the awarding ceremony was not reported in the court circulated as it is best practice.
Clarence House stated in a statement that the Prince of Wales did not know of any alleged honours offered on the basis for donations to charities.