Prince Michael of Kent was using his royal status to seek personal favours from Russian President Vladimir Putin, an investigation claimed. Prince Michael, first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, told undercover reporters, who were posing as investors from South Korea, that he could be hired for 10,000 pounds a day to make “confidential” representations to Putin's regime.
The prince, it is allegedly said, was willing to use his home at Kensington Palace as a backdrop while promoting House of Haedong, a fake South Korean gold company. The company had approached five members of the royal family for the endorsement.
Prince Michael earns a living acting as chairman of his own private company, which offers consultancy services, the Telegraph reported. Channel 4 had reported that Prince Michael’s business partner, Lord Simon Reading, held an event at Kensington Palace in 2013, attended by Prince Michael, to sell access to Putin.
The Marquess of Reading described the 78-year-old prince as "Her Majesty's unofficial ambassador to Russia.”
Prince Michael has no special relationship with President Putin. They last met in June 2003 and Prince Michael has had no contact with him or his office since then,” Prince Michael’s office told The Guardian.
The Marquess, in a statement, said, "As is standard practice, Prince Michael's private secretary made it clear to the company's representatives during their conversations that nothing could proceed without the agreement of the British Embassy and the help of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce, of which Prince Michael is patron."
