Prince Charles’s cash gift to Qatari ex-pm raises eyebrows

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Prince Charles’s cash gift to Qatari ex-pm raises eyebrows

Prince Charles will no longer be accepting large donations of cash after a suitcase full of paper bills gifted by a former Qatari prime minister raised eyebrows among the public.

The 73-year-old royal received a total of 3 million euros — or $3.2 million — from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar. The money was reportedly given for charity, but was given in cash.

Prince Charles's team says that there will not be situations like the former prime minister's cash gift.

The prince's office stated that the policy change was now in place.

Situations change over the years, a source close to the royal told the BBC. For more than half a decade, this has not happened, and it would not happen again. Prince Charles office said there was no wrongdoing in accepting bags full of cash as charity donations from a Qatari politician.

The outlet said that money was handed over to the British prince during private meetings between 2011 and 2015 — on one occasion in a suitcase and another in shopping bags from London's Fortnum Mason department store.

The money was deposited into the accounts of the Prince of Wales Charitable Fund, which grants grants to other non-profit groups that support the royal's causes and interests, according to the newspaper. It did not allege that anything illegal was done.

As Qatar's prime minister between 2007 and 2013, Hamad oversaw the oil-rich state's sovereign wealth fund which has major property investments around the world, including London's Shard skyscraper, Heathrow Airport and Harrods department store.

There is the possibility of an investigation by The Charity Commission, known as the governing body of charities in Britain.