Thread by @C4Dispatches

The Queen’s cousin, Prince Michael, appears willing to use his royal status to seek favours from Russian president Putin, & use a royal palace & his links to the Queen for personal profit - #Dispatches & The Sunday Times reveal. 1/

Royals For Hire Monday at 7.30pm on @Channel4

@Channel4 We set up a fake South Korean gold company, the House of Haedong, and asked Prince Michael to make a speech that trades off his royal status and gives the company royal support in order to impress its investors.
He said “the idea makes me very happy.” 2/

@Channel4 He said he was willing to accept $200,000 from our fake company in return for making the speech.
#RoyalForHire
3/

@Channel4 Prince Michael's close friend and long-term business partner Lord Reading said the prince would be willing to trade off his royal heritage and could seek access to Russian President Vladimir Putin in order to open doors for our fake South Korean gold company. 4/

@Channel4 "We wouldn't want the world to know he is seeing Putin purely for business reasons".

Prince Michael’s business associate Lord Reading said the prince's business dealings with the Russian president would need to be dealt with discreetly. 5/

@Channel4 Vladimir Putin “regards Prince Michael as a friend of Russia.”
We asked Lord Reading if Prince Michael’s relationship with Putin has been damaged by growing tensions between Britain and Russia.

He said “It hasn’t.” 6/

@Channel4 In a statement to Dispatches, Prince Michael’s office said:
7/

@Channel4 And Lord Reading said:
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@Channel4 The British Royal family remains a much-loved institution but questions over how some are willing to exploit their royal status risks tarnishing their golden reputation.

WATCH: Royals For Hire. Monday at 7.30pm on @Channel4

Read the full investigation by @C4Dispatches and The Sunday Times here: thetimes.co.uk/article/prince…