As Scotland Yard launches an inquiry into Prince Charles’ charity, The Prince’s Foundation – specifically allegations that the organization’s former chief executive, Michael Fawcett, promised knighthood and British citizenship to a Saudi billionaire in exchange for donations to the Foundation – Prince Harry could be interviewed by the police as the case is investigated, The Daily Mail reports.
As far back as 2015, the Duke of Sussex expressed concern over the billionaire and severed ties with Mahfouz Marei Mubarek bin Mahfouz a year before Charles presented him with CBE honors, the outlet reports.
As the Metropolitan Police investigates, “their detectives could choose to question him [Harry] over what his concerns were, and who he told in 2015,” The Mirror reports.
Harry, according to The Daily Mail, met Mahfouz twice, the first time in 2013. The two discussed Harry’s charity Sentebale, established in 2006 to help people in Lesotho and Botswana affected by AIDS. Then, in 2014 – after Charles had also met Mahfouz – Harry and the billionaire met again. In February 2013, Mahfouz donated 50,000 pounds to Sentebale, and later that year donated 10,000 pounds to Walking with the Wounded, another charity of which Harry was patron.
“The Duke had one planned meeting with this donor eight years ago, did not introduce him to any members of the Royal Family, and expressed his concerns about the donor,” a spokesman for Harry said, as reported by The Daily Mail. Reportedly, those concerns were over the businessman’s motives.
“Prince Charles presented Mr. Mahfouz with his CBE in 2016,” said royal commentator Peter Hunt before the police investigation was announced. “Did Prince Harry tell him about his concerns in 2015? Just one of the many questions the Metropolitan Police could ask father and son if they choose to investigate.”
Now that an investigation has been launched, Charles is likely to be questioned about what he knew about claims against Fawcett – and Harry could be called in for questioning, as well.
“The fact Harry dropped this guy [Mahfouz] should have been a red light for Charles, but clearly he ignored that and drove straight through,” said ex-Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker, according to The Daily Mail.