A former aide to Prince Charles has stepped down as chief executive of one of his charities amid an alleged cash-for-honours scandal.
Michael Fawcett, previously a valet to the Prince of Wales, is accused of promising to help secure a knighthood and British citizenship for a Saudi billionaire donor.
The Prince of Wales’ former valet faces accusations that he said he would “support and contribute” to Saudi tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz’s application for citizenship after the businessman donated to Charles’ charity, The Prince’s Foundation.
Michael Fawcett (right), a former assistant valet to Charles, has stepped down as chief executive of The Prince’s Foundation
Mr Fawcett had already taken temporary leave of his role as chief executive of The Prince’s Foundation in September. The charity has now confirmed he has resigned.
A spokesperson from the foundation said: “Michael Fawcett has resigned from his post as CEO of The Prince’s Foundation.”
In a letter written by Fawcett in 2017, published by the Mail on Sunday, the royal aide offered to help Mahfouz with his citizenship application “in light of [his] ongoing and most recent generosity”.
The letter added: “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.”
The letter, written on headed notepaper, said the applications would be made in response to “the most recent and anticipated support” of the trust.
Mahfouz had previously been awarded a CBE by Charles in 2016 and is listed as a “community patron” on The Prince’s Foundation website.
In September, Prince Charles was said to have “no knowledge” of his former right-hand man’s alleged behaviour.
A spokesperson for Clarence House said: “The Prince of Wales has no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities and fully supports the investigation now underway by The Prince’s Foundation.”
On Thursday, Clarence House also confirmed they would be severing ties with Mr Fawcett’s party planning company Premier Mode.
The spokesperson said: “Michael Fawcett and Premier Mode will not be providing services to us in the future. We have all agreed to end these arrangements”.
Mr Fawcett was appointed to the major role of chief executive of Charles’ The Prince’s Foundation in 2018 amid a reorganisation of the prince’s charities.
