Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Sunday, Mar 22, 2026

0:00
0:00

Prince Charles accepted £1m from family of Osama bin Laden

Future king allegedly accepted donation for his charity in 2013 but Clarence House disputes the claims
The Prince of Wales received a £1m donation for his charity from relatives of Osama bin Laden, according to a report.

The Sunday Times alleged that the future king accepted the payment from Bakr bin Laden, the patriarch of the Saudi family, and his brother Shafiq.

Prince Charles, 73, is said to have held a private meeting with Bakr, 76, at Clarence House in London on 30 October 2013, two years after Osama bin Laden was shot dead by US special forces at a compound near Islamabad in Pakistan, according to the newspaper.

Clarence House strongly disputes many of the claims, saying the decision to accept the donation to his charity, the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund (PWCF), was taken solely by trustees.

Bakr and Shafiq bin Laden are half-brothers of Osama, related to the founder of al-Qaida through their father Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden, a Yemeni-born billionaire.

There is no suggestion that Bakr or Shafiq bin Laden has sponsored or been involved in acts of terrorism.

Sir Ian Cheshire, chairman of the Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation (PWCF), where the money was deposited, said in a statement: “The donation from Sheik Bakr Bin Laden in 2013 was carefully considered by PWCF Trustees at the time.

“Due diligence was conducted, with information sought from a wide range of sources, including government. The decision to accept the donation was taken wholly by the Trustees.

“Any attempt to suggest otherwise is misleading and inaccurate.”

A source close to the charity said after a thorough examination of the issues, the trustees concluded that the actions of one Bin Laden family member should not tarnish the whole family.

A Clarence House spokesperson said: “The Prince of Wales’ Charitable Fund has assured us that thorough due diligence was undertaken in accepting this donation. “The decision to accept was taken by the charity’s Trustees alone and any attempt to characterise it otherwise is false.”

A source disputed suggestions that the prince had personally brokered the deal, had agreed to the donations despite advisers’ objections and that several advisers pleaded with him in person to return the money.

The source also denied that the Prince was urged to return the money and was told the sum “would not be good for anybody”.

It comes a month after it emerged that the Prince of Wales accepted bags containing millions of euros in cash during meetings with the former prime minister of Qatar.

Last week, the Charity Commission said it would take no further action over the reports that Charles was given a total of €3m (£2.6m) during meetings with Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani.

The Sunday Times reported that the cash was handed to the Prince of Wales in a suitcase on one occasion, a holdall on another, as well as in Fortnum & Mason carrier bags, the upmarket department store which holds a royal warrant to supply the prince’s household with groceries.

The handovers were alleged to have occurred during meetings between the two men, including a private one-to-one meeting at Clarence House in 2015.

Each payment was deposited into the accounts of the PWCF and there is no suggestion the payments were illegal.

A Clarence House spokesperson said in June the money given during the 2015 meeting was “passed immediately to one of the prince’s charities who carried out the appropriate covenants and assured us that all the correct processes were followed”.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Saudi Arabia Criticises Israeli Strikes in Southern Syria Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Egypt and Saudi Arabia Warn Iran’s Actions Threaten Stability Across the Gulf
Egypt and Saudi Arabia Warn Iran’s Actions Threaten Stability Across the Gulf
Saudi Arabia Unveils Comprehensive 2026 Roadmap to Streamline Company Formation
Saudi-UAE Tensions Reveal Emerging Rivalry at the Heart of Gulf Power Dynamics
Saudi Arabia Launches Gulf Maritime Support Initiative to Safeguard Shipping
Saudi Arabia Expands US Military Access as UAE Braces for Prolonged Iran Conflict
Saudi Arabia Expels Iranian Diplomats Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia’s Edarat Wins Major Data Centre Deal with Regional Bank
Iran Intensifies Gulf Offensive as Saudi Arabia Intercepts Dozens of Drones
Regional Powers Hold Security Talks as Turkey Seeks New Strategic Pact
Asian Refiners Urge Saudi Arabia to Revise Oil Pricing Mechanism Amid War-Driven Volatility
Gulf States Weigh US Base Access and Military Alignment as Iran War Intensifies
IRGC Claims Strikes on Israel, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as Conflict Widens
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Multiple Drones Amid Continued Iranian-Linked Attacks
Remains of Fallen Soldier Repatriated Following Death in Saudi Arabia
Iran Tensions Challenge Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Shift to Red Sea Oil Exports
Saudi Arabia Turns to Alternative Export Routes as Hormuz Disruption Strains Oil Flows
Saudi Arabia and UAE Move Closer to Backing US-Israeli Campaign Against Iran
Saudi Arabia Signals Readiness for Military Response as Iran Tensions Escalate
Saudi Arabia Warns Oil Could Surge Beyond $180 as Iran Conflict Disrupts Global Supply
Saudi Arabia Reports Drone Strike on Key Red Sea Refinery in Yanbu
United States Urges Citizens to Leave Saudi Arabia Amid Escalating Regional Conflict
Former Media Executive Chronicles Rise of Saudi Crown Prince in New Book
Saudi Aramco–Exxon Refinery in Yanbu Targeted in Latest Wave of Iranian Attacks
Greek-Operated Patriot System Intercepts Iranian Missiles Over Saudi Arabia
Asian Refiners Urge Saudi Arabia to Revise Oil Pricing as War Upends Markets
Arab and Muslim Ministers Convene in Riyadh to Coordinate Response to Iran Crisis
Saudi Arabia Expands Global Partnerships to Accelerate Vision 2030 Transformation
Europe and Japan Signal Readiness to Help Secure Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating Crisis
Saudi Arabia Signals Firm Stance as Iranian-Linked Attacks Intensify
U.S. Lawmakers Press Rubio to Enforce Strong Safeguards in Saudi Nuclear Deal
Iran Issues Evacuation Warning to Gulf States After Strike on Major Gas Field
Saudi Arabia to Convene Arab and Islamic Ministers for Urgent Talks on Regional Conflict
Saudi Arabia Confirms Eid al-Fitr as Moon Sighting Determines End of Ramadan
Saudi Arabia Boosts Crude Exports to Highest Levels Since 2023, Data Shows
Iran Issues Warning to Gulf Energy Infrastructure Following Strike on Major Gas Field
Saudi Arabia Restarts Ras Tanura Refinery Following Drone Strike, Reinforcing Energy Resilience
Saudi Arabia Restarts Ras Tanura Refinery Following Drone Strike, Reinforcing Energy Resilience
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Ballistic Missiles Targeting Riyadh Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Restores Significant Oil Flows Using Hormuz Bypass Amid Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Signals Potential Activation of Defence Pact with Pakistan Amid Escalating Iran Conflict
Saudi Supreme Court Urges Muslims to Observe Crescent Moon for Eid Determination
Saudi Supreme Court Urges Muslims to Observe Crescent Moon for Eid Determination
Saudi Arabia Reassesses Iran Strategy as Regional Conflict Tests MBS’s Diplomatic Bet
Iran Steps Up Drone Strikes on Saudi Oil Sites, Heightening Risks to Global Supply
Regional Fallout Grows as Iran Conflict Sends Shockwaves Across Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Seven Drones in Intensifying Regional Security Threat
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Seven Drones in Intensifying Regional Security Threat
Saudi Arabia Weighs Regional Risks as Iran Conflict Deepens and Security Calculations Shift
×