Prince Charles.Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty
The chairman ofPrince Charles' charity has stepped down amid claims thatThe Prince’s Foundationwas offered a six-figure sum from a Russian donor.
The Scottish Charity Regulator launched an investigation this week afterThe Sunday Timesreported that Prince Charles wrote a letter thanking a businessman for his offer of nearly $700,000 to the foundation last year. The outlet reported that the charity accepted more than $100,000 before their ethics committee rejected the remaining amount.
A spokesperson for the Prince’s Foundation confirmed the news in a statement: “The Prince’s Foundation understands and respects Mr. Connell’s decision to step down. We would like to thank him for all his work to date and wish him well.”
“The Prince’s Foundation takes very seriously the allegations made in recent news articles and is committed to the highest ethical standards,” the spokesperson added. “These changes to the board of Trustees will not impact the scope or timing of the rigorous independent investigation already underway.”
Dame Sue Bruce, Vice Chair, will take on the role of Acting Chair.
Prince Charles.KIRSTY O’CONNOR/POOL/AFP via Getty
“My view is that the person chairing any organization should take responsibility if it appears that serious misconduct may have taken place within it,” he said. “I believe that the correct course of action is for the chair to accept that responsibility and to stand down from the role. That is why I am today resigning as chair of the Prince’s Foundation.”
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The scandal comes shortly after Michael Fawcettresigned from his role as the chief executiveof The Prince’s Foundation following claims made in a series of newspaper articles over the weekend about how official honors were sought on behalf of a Saudi businessman.
Prince Charles with Michael Fawcett.Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
The Sunday TimesandThe Mail on Sundaycarried allegations that Fawcett helped support a campaign for official honors for Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz.
Fawcett continued in the letter: “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.”
Mahfouz — whoThe Sunday Timessays denies any wrongdoing — has reportedly been a generous donor to two of Charles’s pet projects, the restorations of Dumfries House and the Castle of Mey, both in Scotland, which Fawcett ran at the time of the donations.
A spokesperson for the Prince’s Foundation said in a statement: “The Prince’s Foundation takes very seriously the allegations that have recently been brought to its attention and the matter is currently under investigation.”
source: people.com
