A PROBE into claims that the Prince of Wales’s charity offered help to a Saudi citizen to secure a knighthood was announced by Scotland Yard today.

The Met said it had launched an investigation into allegations of offences under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925.

In a statement, the London force said: “The decision follows an assessment of a September 2021 letter. This related to media reporting alleging offers of help were made to secure honours and citizenship for a Saudi national.

“There have been no arrests or interviews under caution.”

Saudi tycoon Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz is alleged to have been promised a knighthood and residency in Britain after donating more than £1.5 million to the Prince’s Foundation.

In September 2021, a 2017-dated letter was published, in which the foundation’s then chief executive Michael Fawcett reportedly said he was willing to make an application to change Mr Mahfouz’s honorary CBE to a KBE.

Mr Fawcett resigned from his role in the aftermath of these allegations.

At the time, Clarence House said that Prince Charles had “no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donations to his charities.”

This position was reiterated today in the wake of the latest developments.

Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt tweeted: “If their investigation is to be credible, the Met police will have to interview the future king in the same way they would any other citizen.”

A spokesperson for the Prince’s Foundation said: “It would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation.”

The charity is understood to be continuing to offer its full co-operation to the Met.

Prince Charles established the Prince’s Foundation as an educational charity in 1986.