Expert explains why Prince Charles's scandal-hit charity reported £7.1 million increase

Prince Charles's scandal-hit charity has reported a bumper year in its accounts with a £7.1 million increase in the fund balances to a £126.4 million, according to a report.

The report said donations for the year ended March 2021 included a single £5 million contribution, the source of which is not disclosed.

It said an investigation into the cash for honour scandal found no evidence that either Prince Charles or The Prince's Foundations trustees knew anything about the "cash-for-honours' maneuverings".

Commenting on the report, royal biographer Angela Levin said, "I wonder if a proportion of the donations come from people who think that HRH [Prince Charles] has had a hard year from Harry. And have seen the dignified way he is handling it."

Last month, Michael Fawcett, the right-hand man to Prince Charles for decades, stepped down from his role running one of the British royal's main charities, weeks after a newspaper report that said he had offered honours in return for donations.

The Sunday Times newspaper reported in September that a Saudi businessman had received an award after paying thousands of pounds towards projects strongly supported by Charles, with the assistance of the prince's aides.