Prince Charles office has denied there was any wrongdoing in the heir to the British throne accepting bags full of cash as charity donations from a Qatari politician.
The Sunday Times said the prince was given a total of 3 million euros ($3.2 million) by Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar. It said the money was handed over to Charles at private meetings between 2011 and 2015 on one occasion in a suitcase, and on another in shopping bags from Londons Fortnum & Mason department store.
The newspaper said the money was deposited into the accounts of the Prince of Waless Charitable Fund. It did not allege that anything illegal was done.
Charles office, Clarence House, said in a statement that the donations were passed immediately to one of the princes charities who carried out the appropriate governance and have assured us that all the correct processes were followed.
The princes charitable fund told the newspaper it had verified that the donor was a legitimate and verified counterparty and our auditors signed off on the donation after a specific enquiry during the audit. There was no failure of governance.
Qatars government communications office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As Qatars prime minister between 2007 and 2013, Hamad oversaw the oil-rich states sovereign wealth fund, which has major property investments around the world, including Londons Shard skyscraper, Heathrow Airport and Harrods department store.
London police are currently investigating a separate allegation that people associated with another of the princes charities, the Princes Foundation, offered to help a Saudi billionaire secure honors and citizenship in return for donations. Clarence House has said Charles had no knowledge of any such offer.
(AP)
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2 Responses
If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas. Why does the Qatar government use cash for these transactions? Prince Charles should instruct would-be donors to stick to checks, wires or on-line transfers.
It’s just the pushka’s that were emptied. He went around pouring the the mosques’ tzedoko boxes into shopping bags and gave them to the Prince. He probably also shnorrered door-to-door and made a collection in the local Arab Shtiebelach….
Looks like they don’t use Nedorim Plus or online campaign in the Arab sector. Maybe they are scared of internet pritzus?