Millions in cash donation: Report: Prince Charles accepts suitcases of money from Qatar

millions in cash donation
Report: Prince Charles accepts suitcases of money from Qatar

06/26/2022, 2:43 PM

In early 2021, Prince Charles’ foundation will at times receive negative headlines. Now new charges against the Prince’s Foundation are in full swing: Charles is said to have received a three million euro cash donation from Qatar – in suitcases and bags – with critics talking of a “shocking” process.

The heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, is said to have received a substantial cash donation from Qatar for his foundation a few years ago – kept in a suitcase and several bags. The Times reports, citing insiders. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, the former Prime Minister of Qatar, is said to have given Charles around 3 million euros in cash between 2011 and 2015. A suitcase and other sums of a million were said to have been placed in a shopping bag from a famous luxury department store.

Prince Charles’ foundation – the Prince of Wales’ charitable fund – confirmed to the newspaper that the payment was made in cash at the request of the donor. The organization supports animal welfare projects and is committed to preserving Charles’ property in Scotland.

Asked by The Times, a spokesman for Prince Charles insisted that the money received was sent directly to the foundation. He took care of the correct processing. According to the newspaper, there is no evidence that the payment could be illegal.

not “proper” surrender

However, the types of donations and handovers are being criticized. When a government like Qatar wants to donate to a foundation, there are “appropriate ways and means” to do so, said Alistair Graham, who once headed the Public Standards Committee. He described the report as “really shocking” and incomprehensible. Initially there was no comment from Qatar.

Charles’ foundation had already hit the headlines last year after allegations of corruption were leveled against his Prince Foundation. Her boss at the time, who has since resigned, is said to have promised support to a Saudi businessman seeking knighthood and British citizenship in exchange for donations. The foundation’s president also resigned in September last year following allegations of dubious donations.