Michael Fawcett

Michael David Fawcett MVO (born November 1962)^[1] is a former senior valet to Charles, Prince of Wales who today consults on various royal projects.

Career[]

Royal household[]

Fawcett began his service to the British Royal Family in 1981 as a footman to HM Queen Elizabeth II. He later moved to the Household of HRH Prince of Wales.^[2] Fawcett rose to become Prince Charles's personal valet. Fawcett is widely described by other employees as strict, and often bullying, but was protected by the Prince, for example in an episode in 1998 in which various staff complained about his bullying. Former royal press officer Dickie Arbiter remarked of Fawcett, "Fawcett has been there for so many years, so close in times of stress, that he knows all the ins and outs and all the warts."^[3] This has been contrasted against biographies such as Behind Palace Doors where Major Colin Burgess pondered why Fawcett has been able to exert influence in royal circles to the degree he has with little formal education or professional experience.^{[citation needed]}

Controversies[]

Prince Charles' denial of unspecified banned allegation[]

In 2003, Fawcett received an injunction against The Mail on Sunday, banning them from writing about an unspecified allegation. A few days later, Prince Charles issued a statement, asserting that the unspecified banned allegation was untrue.^[4]

Fawcett resigned from his position in Prince Charles's inner circle in March 2003, following a report by Sir Michael Peat that identified mismanagement at Clarence House.

Honours system allegation[]

Mahfouz with Prince Charles

In September 2021, The Sunday Times and Mail on Sunday newspapers reported that Michael Fawcett had fixed a CBE for Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz who donated more than £1.5 million to royal charities. The disclosures prompted a criminal complaint under section 1 of the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925. The activity was also said to be covered by the Bribery Act 2010.^[5] Prince Charles gave Mahfouz his Honorary CBE at a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace in November 2016, though the event was not published in the Court Circular.^[6] The Mail on Sunday reported that Fawcett wrote in a 2017 letter to Mahfouz's aide: "I am happy to confirm to you, in confidence, that we are willing and happy to support and contribute to the application for Citizenship. I can further confirm that we are willing to make [an] application to increase His Excellency's honor from Honorary CBE to that of KBE in accordance with Her Majesty's Honours Committee. Both of these applications will be made in response to the most recent and anticipated support [of] The Trust, and in connection with his ongoing commitment generally within the United Kingdom”.^[7] In response Liberal Democrat politician Norman Baker wrote to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick urging a police inquiry.^[8]

In November 2021, Fawcett resigned from his role as Chief Executive of The Prince's Foundation.^[9] The auditing firm EY, which was hired by the charity to carry out an investigation, published a summary report in December 2021, stating that Fawcett had co-ordinated with "fixers", but there was "no evidence that trustees at the time were aware of these communications".^[10]

Personal life[]

Fawcett married former royal housemaid, Debbie, in the early 1990s. The couple have a daughter and a son.

Honours[]

• He was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in the 2001 New Years Honours List.
• He received the Royal Household Long and Faithful Service Medal for 20 years service to the Royal Family in 2001.
• As a senior employee of the Royal Household He received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.

References[]

• BBC Profile of Michael Fawcett
• Coverage of the Rape story on Throneout.com (biased against Royals)