We Need To Talk About Charles

[irc]

After "inadvertently" leaking his views on the Rwanda issue the latest news is that a few years ago he accepted several suitcases of million quid cash donations from the former prime minister of Qatar. The cash being given to his charitible fund which bankrolls among other things his Scottish Country estate. To me that looks awfully like a personal benefit if it is paying the running costs of his estate.

In any case in this day and age I question the advisibility of anyone taking huge cash donations. What is wrong with bank transfers if the cash is legal?

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/25/pr...


My parents were of that 1920s generation who accepted the monarchy without question. I have long believed that the current Queen has been a near perfect head of state. Hasn't put a foot wrong in 70 years. Given there can be issues with elected heads of state I thought our monarchy was possibly a least worse option.

I'm starting to have my doubts. The Queen was genuinely neutral. Other than the fact she liked horse racing and corgis I'd struggle to guess her opinions on many matters. And that is the point. It would be a guess.

Charles is too much of an advocate for his pet projects and too quick to criticise things he disagrees with. For the first time in my life I'm starting to think if we ever had a UK referendum on retaining the monarchy I might vote no.

Edited by irc on Sunday 26th June 13:34

[irc]

loafer123 said:

I get that it all sounds highly exciting, but fundamentally, wasn’t this just a donation to the Princes Foundation, and it was just unusual because it was in cash. The article says there was nothing illegal about it.
.

It may be legal but I don't think taking foreign donations to, in part, run your private estate in the highlands is appropriate.

As for the he is vocal now but will shut up once he is king line? The problem with that is firstly his views on many matters will have been broadcast so making future neutrality harder.

Secondly with the best will in the world the Queen can only have a few years left. Maybe time to start acting neutral is now especially as he has started doing head of state functions like reading the speech when parliament opens etc.

But opinions differ. And we all have one.

[irc]

BlackWidow13 said:

Birkhall is his Scottish Estate, which he owns. As far as I know that is maintained either by him or by the Duchy of Cornwall.

Dumfries House is owned by the Prince’s Foundation, which undertakes charitable work.

The article you linked to stated that there is no suggestion the payments were illegal.

What’s your basis for claiming that this money was used to bankroll the running of Birkhall? Or have you confused Birkhall and Dumfries House?

My mistake. I posted a Guardian link as it wasn't paywalled.

The paper version of The Times states the cash went to his charitable fund

"which bankrolls the Prince's pet projects and his country estate in Scotland"

This story. But I am quoting from the paper. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/charles-accepte...

Edit. As I can find nothing that suggests the PWCF funds any estate other than Dumfries House

https://www.pwcf.org.uk/projects/dumfries-house

I will withdraw my suggestion that there was anything wrong with using donations to fund this.

Edited by irc on Sunday 26th June 14:56