Prince Harry claims that he raised concern about the Saudi billionaire donor in the middle of the “cash for Access” scandal has caused confusion. Royal sources insist that no one can recall it having been discussed with his father.
The Duke of Sussex risked another public rift with the Prince of Wales after he said he had ‘severed ties’ with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz a year before Prince Charles presented the controversial billionaire with a CBE.
Harry did not say who Harry raised his reservations, but Clarence House insiders claim it was with them. According to one source, “No one remembers that there,” Another source close to Prince Charles said that no negotiations had taken place between the royal houses about Mr Mahfouz.
Concerns can be brought up at regular meetings of the royal secretaries. However, private conversations between Charles and Harry would not be recorded.
Recent months have seen the Prince of Wales being criticized for his relationship to Mr Mahfouz, as well the hundreds of thousands of dollars that the billionaire contributed to royal’s favorite projects through his charitable trust. Michael Fawcett, the prince’s top aide and senior adviser, was made to resign last month as the head of The Prince’s Foundation over his involvement in this scandal.
Today, Charles and Harry claimed that they have not spoken in months. Following Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview, and subsequent repeated statements about their exit from public duties, Harry has felt ‘deeply hurt and shocked’. Sources told The Sun that Prince Charles is keeping a quiet, dignified silence because he worries about a split in the public eye.
Following the Oprah interview in March, Harry’s relationship to his father was strained. According to the duke, his father cut off him financially after he and Meghan made their plans to move to America. There was also a lot of hurt.
They last saw each other eight months ago at the funeral of Duke Edinburgh.
Left: The Duke of Sussex stated last night that he had cut ties with Mahfouz Marei Mubarak (right), one year before Prince Charles awarded the controversial Saudi billionaire a CBE
Harry made an unusual statement that could cause a family split. He said he was not involved in the “CBE scandal” and insisted he did have concerns over the motivations of the Saudi businessman.
Prince Charles (left), has been the subject of a lot of criticism lately due to his relationship (right) with Mr Mahfouz.
Harry made an astonishing statement Sunday night. He claimed that he did not participate in the “CBE scandal”, but insisted that he was concerned about the motives of the Saudi businessman and ‘expressed concerns’.
Following revelations that Mr Mahfouz had attended a private meeting, it was disclosed that he has donated tens and thousands of pounds to charity associated with the duke. I don’t know if that money was given back to Harry, or to whom Harry expressed his concern.
The intervention was deemed by royal watchers to be a signal that son and father have not remediated their differences since Megxit in March and the bombshells dropped on the Sussexes’ Oprah interview.
Angela Levin wrote an article on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. She told MailOnline that Harry’s relationship to his father was “rock bottom” for him but that it wasn’t for his deeply hurting father.
‘He [Harry]To feel strong, he seems to be able to incessantly criticize his father, particularly now that Prince Charles doesn’t feed him much money.
She added: ‘It’s the same old thing from Harry and Meghan. You can be compassionate towards those you do not know. However, I will attack my family and particularly my father.
Richard Fitzwilliams, a commentator on Harry’s public statements, said that it will ‘fuel speculation about Harry’s father’s relationship with him. Charles finds it embarrassing that his charitable foundation is in turmoil and Michael Fawcett has resigned. It will also be remembered that the statement of Duke Fawcett referring to “the CBE scam” was not well written.
This episode reveals that what one would expect from the Royal Family is close collaboration between fathers and sons when statements have to be made in relation to sensitive issues like this. This is because Harry’s memoir will be out in the next year.
Prince Charles has said that he will speak with detectives regarding allegations that his closest friend had arranged an honour for a Saudi billionaire.
MailOnline was informed by Norman Baker (former Liberal Democrat MP) that he filed a criminal charge about the matter. Harry is protecting himself by telling his dad, “Don’t drag it into me.”
“If Charles is questioned by police, he’ll likely say that ‘I didn’t know anything about it. Harry will likely say this if he believes it. If he does, then Harry’s statements are more significant and the police might want to talk to him. However, that may be more challenging because he is a foreign national. Mister Baker indicated that it would be very telling if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did so.
He stated that the police had been reluctant to conduct an investigation into the Royal Family. They have done it with Andrew.
Peter Hunt, Royal Commentator added that Prince Charles had presented Mahfouz his CBE in 2016. Was Prince Harry able to tell the prince about his 2015 concerns?
“Just one of many questions that the Metropolitan Police could pose to father and son if it chooses to investigate.”
Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz is embroiled in claims that he showered money on charitable causes close to the Prince of Wales in the hope of obtaining an honour and British citizenship.
Harry, who is believed to be concerned by Mr Mahfouz in 2014, ended their relationship that year after having twice met him.
Independent investigation found that Fawcett was in league with Mahfouz’s ‘fixers’ to get a high honor in return for donations.
Mr Mahfouz is thought to have donated at least £1.5 million to royal charities.
The Duke of Sussex stated that he expressed his concerns over Mr Mahfouz when he severed ties to him in 2015. His statement didn’t make it clear who he expressed these concerns to.
Charles awarded the Saudi billionaire an honorary CBE during a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace in 2012. Private meetings were held in Scotland and Saudi Arabia by the Prince of Wales as well as Mr Mahfouz.
Clarence House repeated Charles’ claim that he had no knowledge of the cash for access allegations. However, it didn’t comment on Harry’s concerns about Mahfouz.
While the Metropolitan Police made some initial inquiries about Mr Fawcett’s whereabouts, a more thorough investigation was not launched.
Harry met Mahfouz for the first time in 2013. He was a guest at Mark Dyer’s pub in Chelsea.
The duke discussed Sentebale’s charity, which was established in 2006 in Lesotho to aid people affected by Aids. It came about after he returned from a gap year in Africa.
According to the newspaper, the couple met at Clarence House again in the next year. Charles had previously met Mr Mahfouz. Harry joked that his father beat him and got the money.
Michael Fawcett was the senior adviser to The Prince’s Foundation. Fawcett was implicated in the scandal, and was made redundant as head of The Prince’s Foundation.
In February 2013, Mr Mahfouz donated £50,000 to Sentebale. Later that year he gave £10,000 to Walking With The Wounded, another charity of which Harry was patron.
According to a spokesman, the Duke said that he had one meeting planned with the donor in 2008, but did not present him to the Royal Family and voiced his concern about the donor.
Scottish charities regulator The Prince’s Foundation has been investigating claims that the foundation accepted six-figures from a Russian donor. This was rejected later by the ethics committee. The foundation commissioned an independent investigation to investigate the allegations of cash for access. It found that there was ‘evidence’ of co-ordination between Mr Fawcett, and his fixers about honorary nominations.
Following the Oprah interview in March, Harry’s relationship to his father was strained. After Meghan and Harry announced their move to America, the Duke claimed that his father had financially cut him off and caused a lot more hurt.
It is believed that they have reconnected in recent months after last speaking in person at Prince Philip’s funeral in April.
Sentebale stated that it is perfectly normal for potential donors to meet patrons, upon whose support they rely. This includes the two donations received in 2013-14 from the Mahfouz Foundation – donations that we would not have accepted if we believed there was anything improper behind them.’