King Charles and the royal family have not released an official list of gifts they have received for the past four years, despite previously committing to publishing an annual report. Palace officials have cited the pandemic, the change in reign, and the preparation for last year's coronation as reasons for the delay.
This lack of transparency follows controversy surrounding a cash-for-honours scandal involving King Charles's main charitable foundation, which was investigated by police but later dropped without a full explanation. Additionally, Charles, during his time as Prince of Wales, accepted £2.6 million in cash from a Qatari politician for another of his charities, raising further questions about royal conduct.
Unlike Members of Parliament, who must declare gifts and donations, there is no public registry for the royal family's interests. The royals rely on their private secretaries to decide what to declare, creating concern over conflicts of interest. Although an annual gift list was introduced after criticism of undisclosed lavish gifts, the last list was published in 2020, covering gifts from 2019.
Several incidents have highlighted the need for transparency. In 2018, Meghan Markle received £500,000 diamond earrings from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, shortly after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Initially, palace officials claimed the earrings were "borrowed," only for the true origins to be revealed years later.
Republic, a group advocating for an elected head of state, emphasized the importance of disclosing official gifts to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure transparency, given the royal family's direct access to government officials.
In response to growing scrutiny, Buckingham Palace assured that the official gift lists would be released "in due course."
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