Prince Michael of Kent accused of selling access
to Kremlin
Queen’s cousin allegedly told
undercover reporters he could be hired for £10,000 a day to approach Putin’s
team
Prince Michael was described by his
friend, the Marquess of Reading, as ‘Her Majesty’s unofficial ambassador to
Russia’.
Josh Halliday and agencies
Sun 9 May
2021 09.20 BST
The Queen’s
cousin has been accused of being willing to use his royal status to sell
privileged access to Vladimir Putin’s regime following an undercover
investigation.
Prince Michael of Kent, the Queen’s cousin,
allegedly told undercover reporters posing as investors from South Korea that
he could be hired for £10,000 a day to make “confidential” representations to
the Russian president’s team.
A recording allegedly suggests Prince Michael
offered his royal endorsement in exchange for a $200,000 fee during a virtual
meeting and was happy to use his home in Kensington Palace as a backdrop for a
speech promoting a fake South Korean gold company.
His friend, the Marquess of Reading, later
described Prince Michael as “Her Majesty’s unofficial ambassador to Russia”.
Prince Michael has denied the claims, which
were made by Channel 4 Dispatches in collaboration with the Sunday Times. Reporters
set up a firm called House of Haedong and approached five members of the royal
family with an offer of a role.
Michael’s office insisted he had no “special
relationship” with Putin and that he had had no contact with the Russian
premier or his team since June 2003, when they last met.
The 78-year-old, who is a first cousin of the
Queen, does not receive money from the civil list and earns a living acting as
chair of his own private company, which offers consultancy advice.
He was also approached about a role helping
the fictitious gold firm in Russia, it was alleged.
The programme said Prince Michael’s business
partner, Simon Isaacs, formally known as the Marquess of Reading, had used an
event at Kensington Palace in 2013, where Prince Michael was a guest, to sell
access to Putin.
The event, to promote the Russian wrestling
sport of Sambo, also offered opportunities to personally meet the Russian
leader at a later date, Dispatches found.
In a recorded meeting with the undercover
reporters, Lord Reading said: “If he [Prince Michael] is representing the House
of Haedong, he could mention that to Putin and Putin would find the right
person who is interested in South Korea or interested in gold. It just opens
the door, you know, which is so helpful.”
He added: “I think, if I can say this, this is
kind of slightly discreet, we’re talking relatively discreetly here. Because we
wouldn’t want the world to know that he is seeing Putin purely for business
reasons, if you follow me.”
He went on to describe Prince Michael as “Her
Majesty’s unofficial ambassador to Russia” and said tension between the UK and
the Russian regime has not affected Michael’s relationship with Putin. He said:
“He is just generally regarded as Her Majesty’s unofficial ambassador to
Russia. I mean, I say that, you know, between you and me slightly, but I mean
it’s generally known that’s the case.”
Prince Michael’s office said: “Prince Michael
receives no public funding and earns his own living through a consultancy
company that he has run for over 40 years.
“Prince Michael has no special relationship
with President Putin. They last met in June 2003 and Prince Michael has had no
contact with him or his office since then.
“Lord Reading is a good friend who in trying
to help made suggestions which Prince Michael would not have wanted, or been
able, to fulfil.”
Lord Reading said: “I thought the approach
from the House of Haedong was genuine and I was only trying to facilitate an
introduction to my friend Prince Michael. I made a mistake and over-promised and
for that I am truly regretful. I wasn’t at my peak as I was recovering from a
kidney transplant.
“For the record, the Sambo event which was
eight years ago was my event and Prince Michael was simply my guest along with
many other people.”
Dispatches: Royals for Hire, will air at
7.30pm on Monday on Channel 4.
Prince Michael of Kent accused of selling access
to Vladimir Putin
The royal's
office says the Queen's cousin "has no special relationship with President
Putin" after an undercover investigation.
Sunday 9
May 2021 13:54, UK
Prince
Michael of Kent has been accused of being willing to use his royal status for
personal profit, and to seek favours from Russian President Vladimir Putin,
following an undercover investigation.
Undercover reporters, posing as investors from
a South Korean business, were told the Queen's cousin could be hired for
£10,000 a day to make "confidential" representations to Mr Putin's
regime.
Channel 4's Dispatches programme, in
collaboration with The Sunday Times, set up a fake South Korean gold firm
called House of Haedong and approached five members of the Royal Family with an
offer of work.
Dispatches and The Sunday Times said Prince
Michael of Kent responded, expressing an interest in working with the business,
telling undercover reporters that he would give House of Haedong his royal
endorsement in a recorded speech for a $200,000 fee and would allow the use of
his home in Kensington Palace as a backdrop.
Prince Michael takes no income from the civil
list and earns a living as chairman of his own private company, which offers
advice on a consultancy basis.
In
addition, he was asked whether he would be willing to help the fake gold
company in Russia.
Dispatches said, in 2013 the prince's business
partner Lord Simon Reading had tried to sell access to Mr Putin at an event at
Kensington Palace, at which Prince Michael was a guest.
The event, promoting the Russian wrestling
sport of Sambo, also offered the chance to meet the Russian president in person
at a later date, according to Dispatches.
In a recorded meeting with the undercover
reporters, Lord Reading said: "If he (Prince Michael) is representing the
House of Haedong, he could mention that to Putin and Putin would find the right
person who is interested in South Korea or interested in gold.
"It just opens the door, you know, which
is so helpful."
He also told the reporters: "I think, if
I can say this, this is kind of slightly discreet, we're talking relatively
discreetly here.
"Because
we wouldn't want the world to know that he is seeing Putin purely for business
reasons, if you follow me."
He went on to say Prince Michael could be
described as "Her Majesty's unofficial ambassador to Russia", and
added that UK-Russia tensions had not affected his relationship with Mr Putin.
Responding to the claims, Prince Michael's
office told the Press Association: "Prince Michael receives no public
funding and earns his own living through a consultancy company that he has run
for over 40 years.
"Prince Michael has no special
relationship with President Putin.
"They last met in June 2003 and Prince
Michael has had no contact with him or his office since then.
"Lord Reading is a good friend, who in
trying to help, made suggestions which Prince Michael would not have wanted, or
been able, to fulfil."
Lord Reading told PA: "I thought the approach
from the House of Haedong was genuine and I was only trying to facilitate an
introduction to my friend Prince Michael.
"I made a mistake and over-promised and
for that, I am truly regretful.
"I wasn't at my peak as I was recovering
from a kidney transplant.
"For the record, the Sambo event which
was eight years ago was my event and Prince Michael was simply my guest along
with many other people."
Sky News has contacted Prince Michael's
household.
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said:
"Prince Michael of Kent is not a working member of the Royal Family and
Buckingham Palace do not act on his behalf."
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