Campaigners have called on the Metropolitan Police to come clean and end their foot-dragging over the Charles cash-for-honours affair.

In September 2021 both Prince Charles - as he was at the time - and Michael Fawcett were reported to the police by Republic's CEO Graham Smith, on suspicion of breaking the law relating to the honours system.

The action was taken in response to an article in the Times from the paper's Gabriel Pogrund.

Since then the police have made no progress other than sending a report to the CPS. It is understood the police have not spoken to Charles or investigated his role in the affair.

There is now confusion and ambiguity about the whether it is the police or the CPS holding up the investigation.

Graham Smith, speaking today, said:

"It would seem Charles is and always has been above the law. The letter sent by Fawcett to Mahfouz was a fairly clear piece of evidence, and Fawcett could not and would not make such promises without Charles's knowledge."

"The police try to hide behind their insistence that they won't provide a running commentary - but that line is becoming untenable."

"There is a serious risk of a further erosion of confidence in British justice if a man can avoid investigation simply because he is a royal."

"The evidence is clear, and so is the duty of the Met to investigate without fear or favour."

"I will be writing to the Commissioner of the Met, Mark Rowley, setting out these concerns. We will also be raising this matter with the government and MPs."

Times story with more background: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/day-by-day-account-of-how-prince-charless-aides-fixed-a-cbe-for-saudi-billionaire-0w7jgt9qh