The Metropolitan Police are to investigate claims Prince Charles’s charity offered honours and official British citizenship to help a Saudi citizen.
The allegations against The Prince’s Foundation first surfaced last September. The then-chief executive of Charles’s charity, Michael Fawcett, nominated businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz for an honourary CBE title, the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. The honourary CBE is one of the highest accolades given to a non-Commonwealth citizen. Traditionally, the honours are awarded by The Queen to people in the UK who have made achievements in public life.
The Met is launching the inquiry under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925. The act makes the sale of peerages or any other honours illegal.
In a tweet, police said: “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 Special Enquiry Team has conducted the assessment process, which has included contacting those believed to hold relevant information.
“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.
“These documents were reviewed alongside existing information. The assessment determined an investigation will commence.”
Charles’s office reiterated an earlier statement in which it said: “The Prince of Wales had no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities.”
The Prince’s Foundation is an umbrella organisation for many of the Prince’s charitable projects. The foundation is based at the historic Dumfries House estate in Scotland. It is operated separately from the Prince’s main office at Clarence House.
A spokesperson for The Prince’s Foundation said: “It would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation.”
So far, no arrests or interviews under caution have taken place.
