'Access to royalty': Kensington Palace severs ties with royal donor Minerva Mondejar Steiner following claims she offered access to Prince William for cash
Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire and art gallery owner, reportedly offered a private meeting with the Prince in exchange for a £20,000 (roughly AUD$40,000) donation.
Her gallery, The Mondejar Gallery, had been an official sponsor of the Prince's annual charity polo event.
According to The Sunday Times, Mondejar Steiner circulated an email spruiking "VVIP tickets" and exclusive "access to royalty" to businesses willing to pay £50,000 (about AUD$100,000) to advertise in a magazine handed out at the polo fundraiser.
The Royal Charity Polo Cup, held at Windsor Great Park each July, is a strictly invitation-only event where wealthy donors watch the Prince of Wales play polo and contribute to causes close to his heart.
Despite already being on the guest list, the 45-year-old reportedly extended a "strictly private and confidential" invitation to members of a luxury concierge network called A Small World, offering them access in exchange for donations to her own charitable organisation, the Mondejar Foundation.
"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," the email read.
"Patron contributions: £6,000 – admission for one patron. £20,000 – includes full access plus a private audience with Prince William and Princess Catherine."
Also on offer was a "luncheon" with "free-flowing champagne", entry to an art exhibition and the opportunity to mingle with "ultra-high-net-worth individuals, cultural icons and luxury leaders".
The email warned that the invitation was not to be shared publicly or on social media.
In response to the damning revelation, Kensington Palace source told The Sunday Times that Prince William "did not condone the type of behaviour" described and thanked the publication for "bringing the matter to their attention".
They said the palace had no knowledge Mondejar Steiner was using the event to raise money for her own foundation, nor that she was promising access to the royal couple.
It added that they were "only familiar" with Mondejar Steiner's gallery, not her foundation, and had no idea she had partnered with a luxury lifestyle group to distribute invitations.
Given the circumstances, they said, the Prince's team had requested that the club sever its ties with her.
William, 43, is expected to attend the event, as well as a behind-the-scenes reception to thank "those involved".
However, it is unclear whether Catherine, also 43, will be present.
Last year, the mother-of-three did not attend the event because she was undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.
Despite being cut by the Waleses, the wife of Zurich-based film director Michael Steiner still appears to have plenty of rich and famous acquaintances.
In September, she was photographed with Prince Harry at the WellChild Awards in London.
Weeks earlier, she posted about meeting actor Benedict Cumberbatch at a film screening on climate change.
SkyNews.com.au has contacted the Mondejar Gallery for comment.
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