The chief executive of The Prince’s Foundation has resigned from his post after claims he helped secure an honour for a Saudi Arabian businessman.
The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator contacted the foundation in September following reports that Michael Fawcett, Prince Charles’ former aide, helped secure a CBE for Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz.
Mahfouz, who denies any wrongdoing, was found to have donated more than £1.5m to royal charities.
The donations helped fund the renovations of residences used by Prince Charles and other charitable ventures, according to The Sunday Times newspaper.
The newspaper claimed Fawcett “co-ordinated the application process and helped upgrade the proposed honour for Mahfouz from an OBE to CBE”.
Fawcett temporarily stepped down from the top job at The Prince’s Foundation in September pending an investigation, but the charity today confirmed he had resigned.
A spokesperson for The Prince’s Foundation said: “Michael Fawcett has resigned from his post as chief executive of The Prince’s Foundation.”
Chief operating officer Emily Cherrington has taken over in the interim.
In September, the chair of the Prince’s Foundation stepped down following claims the charity accepted a six-figure sum from a wealthy Russian donor in return for a meeting with Prince Charles.
Douglas Connell said that although he and the other members of the board had no knowledge of any such activity, he had to take responsibility for it.