Charles is 'drawing a line' under Michael Fawcett scandal as he 'prepares to be ...

Prince Charles is 'drawing a line under his past' as he prepares to become King, a royal expert said today after his right-hand man Michael Fawcett dramatically quit over the 'cash for honours' inquiry.

Mr Fawcett, who last night resigned from his post as chief executive of The Prince's Foundation, has been a 'key adviser for a very long time' and 'closely involved in overseeing every bit of the prince's life', another added.

The 59-year-old top aide, whom friend said was 'heartbroken' and 'shattered' by events, has also had his private contract to organise events for Charles severed. It follows reports that the prince's former valet offered to help a billionaire Saudi donor to the prince's charity secure a knighthood and British citizenship.

The Daily Mail understands Mr Fawcett, who rose to become one of the most powerful and influential figures in the future king's court, is not seeking to preempt an official investigation into the claims, which has yet to report back.

And Peter Hunt, who was the BBC's royal correspondent from 2003 to 2017, said today: 'Palace officials will be keen to present this as Charles drawing a line under his past as he prepares for kingship. They'll be less keen to talk about the size of the severance package given to the servant who once squeezed his master's toothpaste.'

Mr Hunt added: 'Palace officials will also be praying that there isn’t a police investigation into the allegations.' 

Friends say the scandal – which broke in early September – has had a 'devastating' effect on Mr Fawcett, and he has only now felt well enough to make a decision about his future. The friend said: 'Michael has resigned and he will never be coming back. He has lost five stone in weight and is a shadow of his former self.'

And royal expert Roya Nikkhah told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Michael Fawcett really has been the Prince of Wales's right-hand man for many decades now. He started as a footman at Buckingham Palace but Charles has had him as his key adviser for a very long time on everything. He has been so closely involved in overseeing every bit of the prince's life for a lot of the prince's life. He will be an enormous loss to the Prince of Wales.'

The Sunday Times royal correspondent added that Charles's wife the Duchess of Cornwall may have influenced the decision for Mr Fawcett to leave, saying: 'Camilla was concerned that Michael Fawcett's ongoing presence in the household was detracting from the Prince's work and damaging the Prince's reputation.

'And the Duchess of Cornwall is steadfastly loyal to the Prince of Wales, as you would expect her to be, and my understanding was - and I've had no pushback - that she was keen to see him to go, and go he has.'

A spokesman for The Prince's Foundation confirmed: 'Michael Fawcett has resigned from his post as CEO of The Prince's Foundation.' 

Clarence House told the Mail it was cutting ties with Mr Fawcett on a personal basis and would not work with his events company, Premier Mode, again, sealing his catastrophic fall from grace. 

A spokesman said: 'Michael Fawcett and Premier Mode will not be providing services to us in the future. We have all agreed to end these arrangements.'

For the best part of four decades, Mr Fawcett was the man Charles famously could not live without.

But he was dogged by controversy and was twice forced to resign after being accused of bullying staff and selling unwanted royal gifts.

On both occasions he was reinstated and Premier Mode was later awarded a lucrative contract by the prince to organise most of his official and private entertaining.

In 2007, Mr Fawcett was made chief executive of Scotland's Dumfries House, a stately home Charles helped save for the nation which has since been turned into a community facility and hub for his considerable charitable activities.

In 2018, following a reorganisation of those charities, Mr Fawcett was appointed as £95,000-a-year chief executive of the newly created The Prince's Foundation, much to the surprise – and concern – of some current and former household staff.

Mr Fawcett set about becoming a 'fundraiser extraordinaire', raising millions to support the prince's philanthropic work every year.

However, it was his success in drumming up multi-million-pound donations which led to his downfall.

Earlier this autumn, questions were raised over Saudi billionaire Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, who received an honorary CBE personally from Charles in 2016.

He had donated £1.5 million, spent mostly on renovating two of Charles's Scottish properties, where parts of the grounds are named after him. It was alleged that he paid tens of thousands to fixers with links to the prince who had told him they could secure him an honour. Mr Mahfouz denies any wrongdoing.

Significantly, a letter emerged which Mr Fawcett wrote to Mr Mahfouz in 2017, in which he said: 'In light of the ongoing and most recent generosity of His Excellency Sheikh Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, 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 we are willing to make an application to increase His Excellency's honour from Honorary CBE to that of KBE in accordance with Her Majesty's Honours Committee.' Sources said Prince Charles was not aware of any link between donations to the foundation and honours and was 'deeply shocked'.

The Prince's Foundation said it took the allegations seriously and immediately ordered an investigation.

Mr Fawcett announced he would 'temporarily' step down from his post while the matter was probed. Now he has decided to make that decision permanent, even before the findings have been revealed.

A friend said that despite his 'many mis-steps' over the years, Mr Fawcett had been a 'loyal and faithful servant' to the prince and had played a crucial role in his philanthropic efforts, helping Charles to raise more than £120 million for charity each year. Some royal insiders have questioned how the heir to the throne will manage to keep his charitable ventures – including Dumfries House – afloat without Mr Fawcett to 'rattle the cans'.

A source said: 'Michael will have no more dealings with either His Royal Highness or Clarence House from now on. That is absolutely clear. He's not coming back in any way, shape or form, that cannot be stressed enough.

'The report hasn't been finished yet. It is his decision and his decision alone, and he is not pre-empting anything that may or may not be found.

'This really is the earliest he has felt able to make any sort of decision about his future.'

The friend said the pressure of the scandal had had a 'shattering effect' on Mr Fawcett's health. 'Michael isn't a well man – he has lost lots of weight and has shrunken into himself. No one is seeking sympathy, it's a fact. He has been shattered by this.

'He has made this decision because he needs time to get through this crisis. And he wants more than anything to be left alone while he goes through this difficult time.'

Mr Fawcett's departure will be seen by his enemies – who viewed him as a pernicious influence on the royal household – as long overdue. And it will certainly provide the Prince of Wales with a 'clean sheet' when he becomes king.

There were some who had feared that at this point, Mr Fawcett could even be promoted to Master of the Household at Buckingham Palace.

It has been claimed that one of those who will not be upset to see the back of him is the Duchess of Cornwall, once a supporter of Mr Fawcett but who now feels her husband can start a new chapter.

The Prince of Wales is said to have been told about Mr Fawcett's decision, which will be made public by officials today. He feels 'sadness' about the way things have ended, but accepts it.

As well as The Prince's Foundation, Scotland's charity regulator is also investigating the claims against Mr Fawcett.

A Clarence House spokesman said previously:

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