While waiting for the accession to the throne, Charles is never bored. He travels the world on behalf of his mother, takes on new construction projects and digs into the earth with his green fingers. His greatest passion, next to Camilla, is The Prince’s Foundation, a foundation that renovates historic buildings under the credo of ‘Respecting the Past, Building the Future’ and teaches young people at home and abroad crafts.
Donations are always welcome, but can also lead to problems. Last month it was announced that Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz had donated 1.75 million euros to The Prince’s Foundation and other foundations of the crown prince. It earned him a royal decoration, presented to him by Charles himself five years ago at a private meeting at Buckingham Palace.
Suspension
The news led to the suspension of Michael Fawcett, the royal aide who runs the foundation and arranged the deal. Charles would not have known about this violation of a 1925 law against the sale of titles. Over the years, politicians, foremost prime ministers, have been guilty of these corrupting practices. The House of Lords is full of wealthy philanthropists. But with Fawcett’s departure, the matter was not considered closed.
Another board member of the foundation resigned after it became known that a donation from a wealthy Russian had been accepted. In exchange for three tons, the banker Dmitri Leus would have received two invitations to visit Charles in his Scottish country houses, reported The Sunday Times. The Mail on Sunday meanwhile wrote that Charles had met a Taiwanese businessman who had donated half a million. Both the Russian and the Taiwanese have been accused of money laundering in their own country.
Intermediary
William Bortrick, the publisher of the British nobility book, was involved in the donations Burke’s Peerage, as an intermediary. It seems that Charles has personally met him several times, something that is denied by both the Prince and Bortrick.
It’s a thorny issue for Charles as his 96-year-old mother is slowly handing over her functions to her offspring – with the exception of the fallen Andrew. As direct heir to the throne, Charles bears additional responsibility. He has been accused in the past, especially from a republican quarter, of political interference. The impression that foreign super-rich can buy royal favors is another blot on his name.
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