James BryceBy Wendy Williams
PRINCE Charles has been accused of abusing his position to get the director of a Spanish tile company an invite to this month’s Royal Wedding.
Labour MP Paul Flynn has accused him of ‘cash for access’ by getting company boss Manuel Colonques and his wife invited to his son Prince William’s nuptials on April 29.
He insists that the invite comes after the director’s company Porcelanosa paid for a string of gala events over the last few years.
Aides have admitted that Porcelanosa – which holds a Royal Warrant for supplying the Prince – met a ‘significant proportion’ of the costs of a dinner last month, attended by stars such as Rowan Atkinson and Jeremy Irons.
The event, officially billed as being for The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts, was also attended by the Duchess of Alba, bullfighter Cayetano Rivera and Isabel Preysler, the face of Porcelanosa.
The following week however, Spanish society magazine Hola referred to the event as being ‘held by Prince Charles in honour of the luxury tile firm.’
Spanish newspapers also wrote that the company – which now has 350 stores in 74 countries – used Prince Charles’s homes for its UK parties.
In September 2009, Porcelanosa invited supermodel Elle Macpherson to an event at 18th Century Dumfries House in Ayrshire, which Prince Charles saved for the nation two years earlier in a 45million euro deal.
During the dinner, funded by Porcelanosa, Prince Charles was flanked by Ms Macpherson, Ms Preysler and Orlando Bloom. Billy Connolly also attended, while the Prince was pictured with Porcelanosa chairman Colonques.
“It appears that this Spanish firm is buying access to Buckingham Palace and Prince Charles in order to boost its commercial operations,” said Flynn.
“The Prince needs to be more careful about blurring the lines between his good causes and big business.
“It would be far simpler if these people took out their cheque books and donated to charity rather than engage in activities of this kind.”
The row comes as Prince Charles and Camilla finished their first official tour of Spain together at the weekend.
What’s the BIG deal? It’s only money and Charlie didn’t earn his dosh anyway… just using GB taxpayers’ money to get himself more. GB taxpayers will understand/accept this.
The PITY is WHY GB taxpayers put us with this $#!% from Charlie or their MEP’s who don’t ACT in people’s behalf?!
Historically true: “Taxation without representation is
tyranny”. Absurd payments to the EU, similar $$ to “starving 3rd World countries”, MEP expenses & public Pensions, UNafforbadle interest on debts, illegal immigrants with large families getting more $$ than the PM gets paid, similar dosh to Council heads… ad nauseum.
Would the last REAL man leaving UK, turn out the lights?!