London | A former aide to Prince Charles has resigned as head of a foundation set up by the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, amid a scandal over his relationship with a Saudi businessman.
Michael Fawcett, Charles’s former aide to butler, was suspected of using his influence to help Saudi businessman Mahfouz Merhi Mubarak bin Mahfouz, a generous benefactor to charities linked to the British monarchy, to obtain an accolade, newspapers revealed in early September “The Times” and Mail on Sunday”.
A spokesperson for the foundation said he had “resigned his position as CEO of the Prince Foundation”.
According to the Sunday Times, Mahfouz, 51, was named leader of the British Empire by Prince Charles in a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace in November 2016, an event not made public in the official list of royal engagements. According to the newspaper, obtaining such a distinction made it possible to support Saudi Arabia’s claim to British citizenship.
And the “Sunday Times” indicated that Mahfouz, who denies any wrongdoing, would have provided large sums of money for restoration projects of particular importance to the Prince of Wales.
Michael Fawcett has temporarily resigned from his position as general manager of The Prince’s Foundation, which he has held since 2018, but that resignation is now final, according to the foundation set up by Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son.
Mr. Fawcett began working with the royal family in 1981 as a man introduced to the Queen, and rose through the ranks to become Prince Charles’ assistant butler, helping him get dressed every morning.
In 2003, he was acquitted of charges of financial misconduct related to the sale of gifts to the royal family.
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