The Prince of Wales has accepted large cash donations totaling three million euros from a former Qatari prime minister, the Sunday Times reported.
The newspaper claimed that the prince personally accepted the cash donations for his charity, the Prince of Wales’ Charitable Fund (PWCF) between 2011 and 2015 from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, who was Prime Minister of Qatar between 2007 and 2013.
Clarence House said the donations were “immediately transferred” to one of the prince’s charities and that “appropriate management” had been carried out.
“Charitable donations received from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim were immediately transferred to one of the Prince’s charities who carried out the appropriate management and we ensured that all the correct processes were followed,” reads a statement.
According to the Sunday Times, a donation of one million euros was handed over during a meeting at the prince’s residence, Clarence House.
PWCF was contacted for comment by the PA news agency, but its chairman, Sir Ian Cheshire, told the newspaper “there was no management failure”.
The charity, founded in 1979 with a mission to transform lives and build sustainable communities, awards grants to UK-registered non-profit organizations to deliver projects in the UK, Commonwealth and overseas.
Brandon Lewis, secretary of Northern Ireland, said he was confident the donations would have gone through “proper due process”.
Asked about the report on the BBC’s Sunday morning program, Mr Lewis said: “It’s not a government issue, but what I saw was that the palace was very clear, that all money went through the proper process. go, the charities are of course going through proper proper process.
“I am confident that in the past I myself have dealt with charities, The Prince’s Trust, The Prince’s Foundation, around the palace, that this proper process will go through.”
This is because another of Charles’ charities, the Prince’s Foundation, is currently being investigated by the Metropolitan Police over an alleged cash-for-honor scandal.
The prince, and his good friend Michael Fawcett, were formally reported to Met police last September when allegations of cash-for-honor first appeared in newspaper reports.
Mr Fawcett, who has since resigned as chief executive of The Prince’s Foundation, has been accused of promising to help a Saudi billionaire donor receive British citizenship and a knighthood.
Clarence House had previously said the prince had “no knowledge” of the alleged cash-for-honor.
The Prince’s Foundation was created by the merger, in 2018, of The Prince’s Foundation for Building Community, The Prince’s Regeneration Trust, The Great Steward of Scotland’s Dumfries House Trust and The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts.
It stands for sustainability and operates education and training programs.