UK royal charity in focus over donations

Representatives of Prince Charles have insisted that "appropriate governance" and "all the correct processes were followed" after newspaper reports that he received three cash donations for his charitable foundation totaling 3 million euros ($3.16 million) from the former prime minister of Qatar.

The Sunday Times reported that on three occasions between 2011 and 2015, Queen Elizabeth II's eldest son, the heir to the British throne, personally accepted cash donations－which it is stressed were in no way illegal－from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Jaber Al Thani.

The newspaper goes on to report that once, a holdall full of money was handed over during a meeting at Clarence House, the prince's London residence. And another time, the money was given in carrier bags from Fortnum and Mason, one of London's most prestigious food shops.

'Appropriate governance'

"Charitable donations received from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Jaber Al Thani were passed immediately to one of the prince's charities, who carried out the appropriate governance and have assured us that all the correct processes were followed," said a statement issued by the prince's office.

Ian Cheshire, chairman of the Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund, or PWCF, said: "We have checked into this event in the past, and confirm that the previous trustees of PWCF discussed the governance and donor relationship, (confirming that the donor was a legitimate and verified counterparty) and our auditors signed off on the donation after a specific inquiry during the audit. There was no failure of governance."

The donation was made in cash, he added, because it was "the donor's choice".

The former prime minister of Qatar has been dubbed "the man who bought London" for his extensive property portfolio that includes some of the most exclusive addresses in the city, and has been closely involved with the Qatar Investment Authority.

The PWCF said its purpose is to "transform lives and build sustainable communities" by giving out grants for projects in areas such as health, social inclusion and conservation. Despite the assurances about the legitimacy of the transaction, the publicity will be unwelcome.

It comes just months after London's Metropolitan Police investigated The Prince's Foundation, another charity established in his name, over allegations that it had offered help to secure British citizenship and an honor for a donor from Saudi Arabia－Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, who received an honorary Companion of the British Empire medal in 2016.

When that story emerged, it was stressed that Prince Charles had no knowledge of anything being offered in return for a donation to the charity. But its chief executive Michael Fawcett, one of the prince's closest aides for 40 years, resigned over the issue.

Mahfouz denied any wrongdoing and an investigation found that Fawcett had coordinated with fixers over the matter, but decided that there was no evidence that the charity trustees had been aware of what had taken place.