How the Palace Reacted to Cash-for-Honors Allegations Involving Prince Charles and a Loyal Aide

by 24USATVSept. 8, 2021, 2 a.m. 101
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He’s the loyal aide of four decades who Prince Charles once called “indispensable”—a man who rose from footman to the queen to valet to the future King, and then finally became one of his most trusted staffers.

But after two British newspapers reported allegations that he had promised official royal honors to a Saudi tycoon in exchange for large donations to Charles’s charities, Michael Fawcett has temporarily resigned from his chief executive role at the Prince’s Foundation. His departure now leaves the Prince of Wales facing questions about whether he had any involvement in the scandal—potentially from the authorities.

A spokesperson for Britain’s Metropolitan Police confirms to BAZAAR.com that at least two complaints have been made over, both calling for an investigation into whether Charles or Fawcett breached Britain’s 1925 Honours Act (Prevention of Abuses), which is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that makes the sale of peerages or honors illegal.

In a statement from Clarence House, a spokesman for the prince—who this weekend entertained British Prime Minister Boris Johnson with Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral Castle per People—said that he was unaware of Fawcett’s actions and confirmed that an investigation is now being conducted by external accountants. “The Prince of Wales has no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities and fully supports the investigation now underway by The Prince’s Foundation,” the spokesperson said.

Both The Sunday Times and Mail on Sunday newspapers recently reported that Fawcett had helped support a campaign for businessman and philanthropist Dr. Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz to obtain royal honors and a British citizenship in exchange for donations to royal charities, including the Prince’s Foundation. After giving more than $2 million (£1.5 million) toward restoration projects close to Charles, the heir was photographed presenting Mahfouz an honorary CBE—the highest-ranking Order of the British Empire award—at a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace in November 2016.

An August 2017 letter from Fawcett to a staffer at Mahfouz’s own charitable foundation printed by the Mail on Sunday reportedly read, “In light of the ongoing and most recent generosity of His Excellency … I am happy to confirm to you, in confidence, that we are willing and happy to support and contribute to the application for Citizenship.”

He continued, “I can further confirm that we are willing to make [an] application to increase His Excellency's honour from Honorary CBE to that of KBE in accordance with Her Majesty's Honours Committee.” The Times of London also claimed that Charles was “100%” behind the offer to help the billionaire with his application for British citizenship.

After the news broke at the weekend, high-level talks immediately took place at both Clarence House and Buckingham Palace over concerns that Charles could be dragged into a potentially damaging scandal. “This is very bad,” a palace source told BAZAAR after aides to both the queen and Charles discussed the situation on Sunday. An insider added, “This could potentially be very damaging for the Prince of Wales. There are most definitely concerns about how serious this could get.”

Mahfouz—who has not been accused of any wrongdoing—is a known figure among those working for Charles. In 2015, a woodland at the prince’s Castle of Mey hideaway was named after the 51-year-old billionaire following a donation of $511,000 (£370,000) to the charitable trust which runs the property. Mahfouz Wood sits to the east of the 15th-century castle, and there are also six benches bearing the names of the businessman and his family dotted around the gardens. There is also a foundation named in his honor at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, another of Charles’s properties. Mahfouz has yet to comment on the current allegations.

A spokesperson for the Prince’s Foundation said in a statement shared with news organizations including BAZAAR, “The Prince’s Foundation takes very seriously the allegations that have recently been brought to its attention and the matter is currently under investigation. The scope of the Prince’s Foundation investigation has been extended to cover this weekend’s newspaper reports. The trustees had already arranged an independent review by an external Senior Forensic Accountant from a ‘big four’ accountancy firm.”

This latest scandal is one of several that have followed Fawcett throughout his time working for Charles. In 2001, a Black former secretary to the Prince of Wales claimed that Fawcett racially abused her. And in 2003, the former valet resigned from Charles’s team when an official inquiry was launched after reports claimed he had sold unwanted royals gifts (he was later cleared of financial misconduct). But despite his alleged misdemeanors, he has remained by Charles’s side in a number of roles. “I can manage without just about anyone except Michael,” the prince once said.

Fawcett—whom Charles unsuccessfully pushed to organize Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s wedding reception—is yet to officially comment and declined to answer questions from outside his London home.

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