Prince Charles: Foundation head resigns because of dubious donations

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Prince Charles: "Shocked and upset"

Photo: Chris Jackson / Getty Images

The head of Prince Charles' charity has resigned after reports of dubious donations.

Douglas Connell, chairman of the Prince's Foundation, said he took responsibility for the possible "serious misconduct."

The Scottish regulator had previously opened an investigation, as reported by the BBC, among others.

The trigger for this was obviously media reports about an alleged letter of thanks from the British heir to the Russian banker Dmitri Leus, who was convicted of money laundering allegations.

Connel now wrote in his resignation: "I am shocked and dismayed by newspaper reports that there may have been various kinds of inconsistencies inside and outside the Prince's Foundation." He was convinced that "it is the right course of action for the Chairman, to take responsibility and resign from the post. "

The foundation does not come to rest

British newspapers had reported that Leus had offered the Scottish-based foundation a donation of 500,000 pounds last year, the equivalent of more than 580,000 euros.

Prince Charles thanked the Russian for this and offered to meet after the corona pandemic ended.

According to the Sunday Times, the foundation's ethics committee had an initial payment of 100,000 pounds back after it was discovered that Leus had been convicted of money laundering in Russia in 2004.

The verdict was later overturned, Leus describes the allegations against him as politically motivated.

Ten days ago, a former close employee of Prince Charles had already announced after allegations of bribery that his post as managing director of the foundation would be suspended.

Michael Fawcett is said to have used his influence to secure a royal honor for a wealthy donor, the Saudi Arabian businessman Mahfus Marei Mubarak bin Mahfus.

Mahfus is listed on the foundation's website as one of its supporters.

According to the Sunday Times, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Prince Charles in November 2016.

mxw / AFP