Dear Anthony Miller,
Thank you for contacting me about financial transparency and the Royal Family.
As you set out, the Metropolitan Police announced in August 2023 that it would take no further action in regard to the investigation it opened in 2022 into the Prince’s Foundation, the charity established by His Majesty the King when he was Prince of Wales. I note that the Metropolitan Police stated that it did so with the benefit of the Crown Prosecution Service’s early investigative advice, and after careful consideration of the information received as a result of its investigation. It added that it would of course consider any new evidence submitted to it in relation to the accusations levelled against the Prince’s Foundation. Nevertheless, I recognise that this decision has disappointed you.
I note that before he acceded the throne, the King said that all donations were passed on to his charities and the Royal Household has insisted that “no rules were broken”. However, it confirmed that it would no longer accept such donations. I welcome that undertaking.
With regard to wider issues of transparency, as you know, the Royal Household is not included in the Freedom of Information Act’s definition of a public authority. I know there have been concerns that the Act includes an exemption for communications with the Monarch, other members of the Royal Family and the Royal Household, and the awarding of Honours by the Crown. I understand that the Government currently has no plans to change this, but I hope it considers the points you raise.
More generally, I appreciate you have strongly held views about our constitutional monarchy. However, I respectfully disagree with you on this matter. I fully support our constitutional monarchy and the virtues it represents, such as discipline, sacrifice and public service as represented by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
In my view, our new King has been a devoted servant of this country his entire life. He has, for example, been a powerful voice for fairness, and he understood the importance of the environment long before many others.
With best wishes,
Sarah
Sarah Jones MP
Labour Member of Parliament for Croydon Central
Shadow Minister for Industry and Decarbonisation
e: sarah.jones.mp@parliament.uk
tw: @LabourSJ
w: www.sarah-jones.org
Phone: 0208 191 7066
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Dear Sarah Jones MP
I was appalled to hear that the Met police have dropped the cash-for-honours case without even interviewing King Charles. Charles and his closest aide Michael Fawcett were both reported to the police on suspicion of exchanging cash for honours. The evidence was pretty damning, yet the police have done almost nothing about it. Charles should have been interviewed as a witness or suspect.
It appears the royals can do what they like without fear of consequences. It also appears the Met's claim to police without fear or favour is untrue. The Met also ignored complaints by Virginia Roberts about Andrew, and ignored Charles accepting millions of euros of cash from a former Qatari politician. All three incidents are scandals that warrant serious police intervention. All have been largely ignored.
Can you please do the following:
Write to the Home Secretary and the Mayor of London, asking for an inquiry into the Met's handling of the cash-for-honours investigation and into the Met's relationship withe the royals.
Write to the Home Affairs select committee asking them to conduct their own inquiry into the Met's relationship with the royals.
I've deleted the bit about becoming a Republic and you previously said you are a Monarchist but if Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak can get FPN's why not the King or Queen?
Even US Presidents have to answer to the law...
Cheers
Anthony Miller
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