A cousin of Queen Elizabeth II of England, Prince Michael of Kent, reportedly tried to use his royal status for personal gain and for trying to get favors from Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a journalistic investigation.
The journalists posed as South Korean investors and informed them that the prince could carry out “confidential” representation work to mediate with the Russian president for about 10,000 pounds a day, about $13,987.
The Channel 4 investigation in collaboration with ‘The Times’ used a bogus South Korean gold trading company called House of Haedong with which it contacted five members of the British royal family with a collaboration offer.
Prince Michael responded by showing interest in this business and offering his support for $279,490 including the use of his Kensington Palace residence. Miguel does not receive an official assignment, although he presides over his own consulting company.
According to the investigation, an associate of the queen’s cousin, Lord Simon Reading, offered access to Putin in exchange for money. It happened in 2013 during a ceremony at Kensington Palace in which Prince Michael himself was one of the guests. It was an act of promotion of the Russian wrestling known as sambo.
From the surroundings of Prince Miguel himself, he has responded through statements to the news agency The Press Association: “Prince Miguel does not receive any type of public fund and he has been making a living with a consulting company for more than 40 years”.
They have also stressed that “Prince Michael does not have a special relationship with President Putin” and they have assured that their last meeting took place in June 2003. “Lord Reading is a good friend who tried to help and that is why he made suggestions that the prince Miguel would not have wanted or been able to comply,” they have argued.
Reading himself has argued that “I was trying to introduce my friend, Prince Michael.” “I was wrong and promised things in excess. I sincerely regret it. I was not in my best moment. I was convalescing from a liver transplant,” he argued.