According to a media report, heir to the throne Prince Charles received millions in cash donations – stowed in a suitcase and several bags – from Qatar for his foundation a few years ago. Former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani is said to have given Charles around three million euros in cash between 2011 and 2015, the Times reported on Sunday, citing insider sources.
A million is said to have been stowed in a suitcase and other amounts in shopping bags from a well-known luxury department store. When asked by the newspaper, Prince Charles’ foundation – the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund – confirmed that the payments had been made in cash at the request of the donor. The organization supports animal welfare projects and is committed to preserving Charles’ estate in Scotland .
“Other means of settlement”
When asked by The Times, a spokesman for Prince Charles emphasized that the funds received were forwarded directly to the foundation. They took care of the correct processing. According to the newspaper, there is no evidence that the payments could have been unlawful.
However, there is criticism of the type of donation and the handover. When a government like Qatar wants to make a donation to a foundation, there are other ways to do it, said Alistair Graham, who once chaired the Public Standards Committee. He described the report as “really shocking” and incomprehensible. There was initially no comment from Qatar.
Charles’ foundations had already made headlines last year: At that time, there were allegations of corruption against his Prince’s Foundation. Its boss at the time, who has since resigned, is said to have promised a Saudi businessman support for his wish for a knighthood and British citizenship in return for donations. The royal family emphasized that Prince Charles had no knowledge of the events.
Source: Nachrichten
