Royal Charity Polo Cup sponsor allegedly offered access to Princess Catherine, Prince William for a fee
Prince William has cut ties with a polo event sponsor accused of charging thousands of dollars for royal meet-and-greets with him and Princess Kate, sparking a fresh access scandal.
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Prince William has severed ties with a wealthy donor who allegedly attempted to sell access to the royal for an eye-popping US$27,000 ($A41,000).
Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss art gallery curator, offered private meetings with the Prince and Princess of Wales at the upcoming Royal Charity Polo Cup match in exchange for cash, the Sunday Times reports.
The 45-year-old millionaire, who heads up the Mondejar Gallery in Switzerland, served as the official sponsor of the annual polo event, set to take place in Windsor, England, next month.
But it appears as though Steiner had an ulterior motive as she offered prospective buyers the chance to get access to the future king, 43, in exchange for large sums of money.
Kensington Palace was unaware of her alleged activities, the outlet adds.
The palace immediately terminated the sponsorship upon learning of Steiner’s cash-for-access scheme, the outlet adds.
The Post has reached out to the Mondejar Gallery, the Mondejar Foundation and Kensington Palace for comment.
Sources close to the self-proclaimed philanthropist told the outlet that she was unable to speak about the event until after it had taken place, per a pending confidentiality agreement.
In the alleged invitation, Steiner issued what she called a “strictly private and confidential” offer to members of A Small World, a luxury travel and lifestyle community.
“As a patron of the Mondejar Foundation, you are invited to support their philanthropic work through a charitable donation, in return for which you will be welcomed to this prestigious occasion,” her email read.
The email also detailed specific contribution benefits, including admission for one patron for $8,000, or full access plus a private audience with Prince William and Princess Catherine for $27,000.
She also offered “VVIP tickets” to advertisers who were prepared to shell out $68,000 to feature in a magazine handed out at the fundraiser.
She also promised attendees a “luncheon” with “free-flowing champagne,” as well as entrance to an art exhibition and opportunities to mingle with “ultra-high-net-worth individuals, cultural icons and luxury leaders.”
Recipients were warned that the invitation was “for your eyes only and not to be shared publicly or on social media.”
Wealthy donors from all over the world are invited to the annual Royal Charity Polo Cup.
At the exclusive, invite-only event, they mingle, raise money and watch Prince William compete in a polo match.
The palace typically announces the royal’s involvement after the match has concluded, maintaining the event’s strict privacy policy.
This story originally appeared in The New York Post.
Originally published as Royal Charity Polo Cup sponsor allegedly offered access to Princess Catherine, Prince William for a fee
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