Police are investigating whether a wealthy Saudi businessman received honorary titles in exchange for donations to the Prince of Wales Foundation.
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Money for favors? British police announced on Wednesday February 16 to open an investigation to establish whether donations to the Prince Charles Foundation were rewarded with honorary titles and were used to support a request for naturalization by a Saudi businessman. Revealed last year, this case had splashed the heir to the throne.
His former assistant valet Michael Fawcett, reputed to be very close to Charles, is suspected of having used his influence to help Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, a generous donor to charities linked to the British monarchy, to get a decoration.
According to Sunday Times (in English), Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, 51, was made Commander of the British Empire by Prince Charles in a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace in November 2016, an event which had not been published in the official list of royal engagements. Benefiting from such a distinction made it possible to support the request for British nationality of the Saudi, according to the newspaper.
The Saudi businessman, who denies any wrongdoing, reportedly donated large sums of money to restoration projects. “The Prince of Wales had no knowledge of the alleged offer of honors or British citizenship on the basis of a donation to his charities”, reiterated his services. A spokesperson for the foundation said that‘”it would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation.”