This summer, there was a series of terrible stories about Prince Charles and his charitable foundations. His foundation promised knighthoods to various shady millionaires, and British citizenships and access to “future king” Charles in exchange for donations to the foundation. One of the worst stories involved Charles’ longtime aide Michael Fawcett, who went from a member of Charles’ personal staff to a key executive at the foundation, but only after repeated scandals and firings-and-rehirings. We also learned very recently that the Duchess of Cornwall apparently hates Fawcett and she wanted him out. Which led me to suspect that the summer of damaging cash-for-access stories were some internal beef within Charles and Camilla’s staffs and their joint household. In any case, Charles finally fired Fawcett, or allowed him to resign:
Michael Fawcett, the Prince of Wales’ right-hand man and top aide has dramatically resigned amid a ‘cash for honours’ inquiry. Fawcett stood down as chief executive of The Prince’s Foundation after questions were raised in the autumn about the awarding of a CBE to Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, a Saudi billionaire, in 2016.
It was alleged that Mahfouz had sent thousands of pounds to fixers with links to the Prince of Wales on assurances that he could receive the honour. Mahfouz denies any wrongdoing. Fawcett, who has worked with the Prince of Wales for four decades and who has been accused of offering to help secure a knighthood and British citizenship for Mahfouz, was said to be ‘heartbroken’ and ‘shattered’ by events.
Fawcett has also had his private contract to organise events for Charles, via his events company Premier Mode, severed. For context, Premier Mode was behind the organisation of Charles and Camilla’s wedding party in 2005. A spokesperson told the Times: ‘Michael Fawcett and Premier Mode will not be providing services to us in the future. We have all agreed to end these arrangements.’
To be clear, Fawcett merely stepped down from the foundation when the story came out months ago. He didn’t officially resign, it seems. A source close to Fawcett told the Mail: “Michael has resigned and he will never be coming back. He has lost five stone in weight and is a shadow of his former self.” The Mail is also trying to make it sound like Charles is super-kingly because of this:
Prince Charles is ‘drawing a line under his past’ as he prepares to become King, a royal expert said today after his right-hand man Michael Fawcett dramatically quit over the ‘cash for honours’ inquiry.
And Peter Hunt, who was the BBC’s royal correspondent from 2003 to 2017, said today: ‘Palace officials will be keen to present this as Charles drawing a line under his past as he prepares for kingship. They’ll be less keen to talk about the size of the severance package given to the servant who once squeezed his master’s toothpaste. Palace officials will also be praying that there isn’t a police investigation into the allegations.’
And royal expert Roya Nikkhah told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘Michael Fawcett really has been the Prince of Wales’s right-hand man for many decades now. He started as a footman at Buckingham Palace but Charles has had him as his key adviser for a very long time on everything. He has been so closely involved in overseeing every bit of the prince’s life for a lot of the prince’s life. He will be an enormous loss to the Prince of Wales.’
The Sunday Times royal correspondent added that Charles’s wife the Duchess of Cornwall may have influenced the decision for Mr Fawcett to leave, saying: ‘Camilla was concerned that Michael Fawcett’s ongoing presence in the household was detracting from the Prince’s work and damaging the Prince’s reputation. And the Duchess of Cornwall is steadfastly loyal to the Prince of Wales, as you would expect her to be, and my understanding was – and I’ve had no pushback – that she was keen to see him to go, and go he has.’
Personally, I love Peter Hunt and he is one of the shadiest people doing royal commentary these days. Love that he’s talking about Fawcett’s golden parachute and how the police should likely get involved, all of which is true. Anyway, Camilla got her way, she ousted a problematic man who had Chuck’s ear and all it took was irreparable damage to Chuck’s reputation and foundation.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
Too little too late. Charles openly gave access and honoraries to foreign billionaires, he could have put a stop to it at any time.
Fawcett the fence has been credibly and allegedly been accused of:
-Rape
-Racism
-Bribery and Corruption
-Cash for Access
Glad Camilla was able to oust him for now. We know there is a revolving door waiting for him to come back in.
In actuality, he was friendly with Camilla. I don’t think he is totally ousted. He probably will be given work for Charles and Charles will not snub him and keep him as a friend. I don’t t hink he will ever be totally removed from Charles circle.
Fourth time’s a charm.
Peter Hunt is no longer part of the Royal rota so he can tell the truth. I enjoy his comments too. He called out the DM for attributing one of his tweets to a royal source. I’m surprised that Fawcett was forced to resign but Charles probably had no choice. He can’t be seen to be corrupt. As for Camilla, I don’t think her objection to Fawcett was that he was shady but really because her nephew is running the same racket and Fawcett was direct competition.
Tick, tick tick to everything you’ve said @Amy Bee. Camilla’s nephew can now be the last man standing for a bit.
Peter Hunt also tweets pretty sparingly so I always look forward to when he does.
It seems to me that Camilla and Fawcett got along for years.
This is the real scandal laying bare the British royals’ corruption for all to see but I’m guessing the British media will see this and yawn. More important to gossip about Meghan’s tiara.
Imagine if this was Harry and Meghan. The commentary would no where he the same except from Peter Hunt who seems to have a balanced point of view on these things. Ugh
If he’s out for good, I will give my hats off to Camilla. Yes it’s very Game of Thrones but this is how the family operates. Oh and she managed to successfully ice someone out without drawing too much attention to herself. Some other family members who have attempted that could learn something.
Game salutes game after all.
I doubt Camilla totally ousted him. HE is non-negotiable for Charles IMO. I don’t like Camilla and I don’t think she could really keep him out of Charles’ life. Camilla should not “ice people out.” she is so lucky that she got into the family and count her blessings;. I don’t think William will keep her front and center to say the least, but Charles is providing for her so she will never have to depend on William. Charles will likewise provide for Fawcett.IMO.
Sohe ran Chuck’s foundation but had a private event management company with a contract to organize events for Chuck and Co. Gee, that doesn’t look shady at all, does it.
Funny how Charlie’s corrupt house is swept clean in the news without ever acknowledging that the buck stops with the man in charge. Just because you fire a worker doesn’t make you all clean and fresh .
Charles keeps getting those free passes. No excuses that he “does not know” what happens with his own enterprise.
Isn’t a stone 14 pounds? He’s lost 70 pounds? Love the bit – “the servant who once squeezed his master’s toothpaste.”