That aside, both he and the King have moved on and are aware such a move would simply not be worth the aggravation, the source said. “The King is sensible, Michael Fawcett is sensible. Both understand that it would be entirely inappropriate for them to have any contact.”
Another source confirmed that beyond a standard “duty of care” extended to Fawcett in the wake of his resignation, there had been no contact of any kind.
The cash-for-honours scandal is said to have had a devastating effect on Fawcett, who was left “shattered” by the turn of events having worked for the King for four decades.
He was accused of helping to “fix” a CBE for Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, 53, in 2016.
The Saudi businessman was honoured by the then Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace after pledging £1.5 million to help restore royal residences in Scotland.
Fawcett is alleged to have written a letter stating he was “willing and happy” to make an application to change Mahfouz’s honorary CBE to a knighthood and to support his application for citizenship in light of his “generosity”.
The letter, written on headed notepaper in Fawcett’s then capacity as chief executive of the Dumfries House Trust, was published by a Sunday newspaper in September 2021.
Police spoke to a man in his 50s and a man in his 40s under caution on September 6 last year, two days before the death of Queen Elizabeth II. A file of evidence was passed to prosecutors in November.
However, in a statement released on Monday, the Metropolitan Police said they had concluded their investigation into allegations of offences under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 and no further action would be taken.
Fawcett’s career
Fawcett began working for the royal family in 1981, first as a junior footman to the late Queen and then as personal valet to her elder son.
He rose through the ranks and in 2018, was made the chief executive of The Prince’s Foundation.
The King is said to have once said Mr Fawcett, who is married with two children: “I can manage without just about anyone, except for Michael.”
In 1997, he briefly quit after being accused of bullying but returned within days and with a promotion to the job of the prince’s consultant.
In 2002, he acquired the sobriquet Fawcett the Fence having been accused of financial impropriety by selling gifts and pocketing the proceeds.
An inquiry found no evidence he had behaved improperly, but he resigned over the furore in 2003.
However, he walked away from his job with a generous severance package and a new career as an events organiser, with the then prince as his main client.
In 2006, he set up an events company, Premier Mode, alongside his wife, Debbie, a former royal housemaid.
He later served as chief executive of Dumfries House and was then promoted to head of The Prince’s Foundation in 2018.
