Latest news with #MinervaMondejarSteiner
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Royal donor ‘offered access to Prince of Wales for cash'
The Prince of Wales has cut ties with a donor after she attempted to sell access to him for £20,000, reports have suggested. Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire, offered private meetings with Prince William at the upcoming Royal Charity Polo Cup match in exchange for cash, the Sunday Times reported. Her art gallery, the Mondejar Gallery, was an official sponsor of the annual charitable polo event which is taking place in Windsor next month. Kensington Palace declined to comment. It is understood that the Palace was unaware of what is being viewed as a rogue sponsor until alerted by the newspaper, and action was taken immediately. The Royal Charity Polo Cup match is an exclusive event where charity donors can watch Prince William play polo. The organisers of the event were not aware it was being used by the Mondejar Foundation to raise money, it is believed. The Mondejar Foundation has been approached for comment. Among the guests at last year's match was TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and wife Jackie, who were seen taking a courtesy golf buggy around the site. The event raised more than a £1 million for causes that the Prince and Princess of Wales are passionate about, including Wales Air Ambulance, Child Bereavement UK, Place2Be, Action for Children and The Royal Marsden. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Royal donor ‘offered access to Prince of Wales for cash'
The Prince of Wales has cut ties with a donor after she attempted to sell access to him for £20,000, reports have suggested. Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire, offered private meetings with Prince William at the upcoming Royal Charity Polo Cup match in exchange for cash, the Sunday Times reported. Her art gallery, the Mondejar Gallery, was an official sponsor of the annual charitable polo event which is taking place in Windsor next month. Kensington Palace declined to comment. It is understood that the Palace was unaware of what is being viewed as a rogue sponsor until alerted by the newspaper, and action was taken immediately. The Royal Charity Polo Cup match is an exclusive event where charity donors can watch Prince William play polo. The organisers of the event were not aware it was being used by the Mondejar Foundation to raise money, it is believed. The Mondejar Foundation has been approached for comment. Among the guests at last year's match was TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and wife Jackie, who were seen taking a courtesy golf buggy around the site. The event raised more than a £1 million for causes that the Prince and Princess of Wales are passionate about, including Wales Air Ambulance, Child Bereavement UK, Place2Be, Action for Children and The Royal Marsden.
Times
15 hours ago
- Business
- Times
Royal donor offered access to Prince William at polo cup for £20k
The Prince of Wales has been forced to cut ties with a donor to his charities after she attempted to sell access to him for £20,000. Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire whose art gallery was an official sponsor of William's annual charitable polo event, had offered a private meeting with the prince in exchange for cash. She also offered 'VVIP tickets' and 'access to royalty' for advertisers prepared to pay £50,000 to feature in a magazine handed out at the fundraiser. The Royal Charity Polo Cup match, taking place in Windsor next month, is an invitation-only event where millionaire donors can watch the prince play polo. They are expected to give to causes close to his heart, often writing cheques for hundreds of thousands of pounds. Mondejar Steiner, who was on the guest list, extended a 'strictly private and confidential' invitation to wealthy individuals belonging to a luxury concierge service. They were told that, in exchange for donations to her own philanthropic foundation, they could attend the event or even join her in meeting the future king himself. The email read: '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.' It continued: 'Patron contributions: £6,000 — admission for one patron. £20,000 — includes full access plus a private audience with Prince William and Princess Catherine.' The email added that guests would also receive a 'luncheon' with 'free-flowing champagne', watch 'VIP polo matches in an intimate setting', attend an art exhibition, and mix with an 'invitation-only guest list of ultra-high-net-worth individuals, cultural icons and luxury leaders'. It added: 'The attached invitation is for your eyes only and not to be shared publicly or on social media.' The invitation was sent to the members of A Small World — a Swiss company once described as 'MySpace for millionaires' by the Wall Street Journal. In another document, Mondejar Steiner's team offered the opportunity to meet William to potential advertisers in a magazine to be handed to all those at the tournament. For £50,000, she said, she would grant companies a double-page editorial spread and two 'VVIP tickets', securing them seats at the tournament and 'access to the royals'. The disclosures threaten to cast a shadow over the competition, which has granted William an opportunity to play the sport he has enjoyed since childhood among friends, fellow royals, and longstanding supporters. The Guards Polo Club, whose presidents have included the late Prince Philip and whose patron was Elizabeth II, is based at Windsor Great Park, which historically served as a hunting ground for royals at the castle. The charity polo event has been operated on the basis of strict confidentiality and the palace tends to publicly announce William's involvement and publish photographs after it has taken place. This was the case for last year's event, where William was present but Kate, then undergoing cancer treatment, did not. That event raised £1 million for charity. The princess attended in 2023, presenting her husband with a trophy. William at last year's event SAMIR HUSSEIN/WIREIMAGE … and in 2023 Over the last 13 years, the heir to the throne has raised more than £10 million for causes including the Royal African Society, Mountain Rescue England and Wales, and the Motor Neurone Disease Association. The explicit nature of the emails has echoes of the cash-for-access scandals involving the King when he was Prince of Wales. Charles always insisted he had no knowledge of any fundraising deals, but was repeatedly found to have met donors who gave money on the explicit condition of meeting him personally or attending black-tie dinners at one of his residences. • Charles accepted €1m cash in suitcase from sheikh The emails also pose questions of William's operation, including the due diligence before Mondejar Steiner was granted the status of an official sponsor, or permitted to host an art exhibition and distribute her own magazine at the event. A Kensington Palace source said William did not 'condone' the behaviour outlined in the email and thanked The Sunday Times for bringing the matter to their attention. In the circumstances, they said, they had asked the club to terminate its relationship with the sponsor. The palace said it had no idea Mondejar Steiner was using the occasion to raise money for her own causes or promising access to William. In an unusually forthright intervention, the source said William did 'not condone the type of behaviour' in question and said there would be no 'cash for access'. They added they were only familiar with Mondejar Steiner's gallery, not her foundation, and did not know she was using the event to raise money for her own, rather than William's, projects, or that she had shared an invitation with a luxury lifestyle company. It is understood William will still be attending the event and a behind-the-scenes reception to thank 'those involved'. Asked what due diligence was done on sponsors of the cup, the palace source said that a secretariat at Buckingham Palace performed checks. It declined to say how much Mondejar Steiner had paid to become a sponsor or put on her own art exhibition at the event, saying the price charged varied. In company filings, Mondejar Steiner, 45, lists her nationality as Filipina and her country of residence as Switzerland. A self-styled 'collector and curator', she studied fashion in London in the early Noughties, then enrolled in an Oxford University further education institute to study art history between 2006 and 2008 before founding her eponymous Mondejar Gallery. Married to Michael Steiner, a Zurich-based film director, she is involved in cultural and philanthropic work. Last September she posed for photographs with the Duke of Sussex at the annual awards for WellChild, the charity for seriously ill children, in London. Weeks beforehand she met Benedict Cumberbatch at a screening of a film about the environment he was hosting, also posing for photos. She posted from the event on Instagram The source and scale of her wealth is unclear. Despite claiming to have an operation in the US, two entities to which she is linked in California have been struck off for failing to file accounts. She founded a property company in London in January, before incorporating her foundation as a 'community interest company' — a kind of non-profit — in April. Neither has a public presence or has published detailed information. It appears she had intended to use the polo event as the centrepiece of a fundraising drive for her commercial gallery and philanthropic work. Documents show she had prepared her own magazine, 1,000 copies of which, she told potential advertisers, would have been presented to 'ultra-high-net-worth' art patrons, collectors and 'institutional buyers' and placed on tables branded with her gallery's logo. Among her 'a la carte' advertising options was £50,000 for a double-page spread and access to royalty, £35,000 for the back cover and £30,000 for the inside front cover. Mondejar Steiner declined to comment. Sources close to her said she was prohibited from doing so as she had signed a confidentiality agreement barring her from speaking about the event until after it had taken place. The sources added that her principal goal was to raise money for the technical college founded by her father in her home city of Tacloban in the Philippines. Brunilde Le Jossec of A Small World said: 'To clarify, [our company] is not selling access, or facilitating any private meeting with members of the British royal family.' She added that it was approached directly by the Mondejar Foundation and asked to share details of their invitation to become a patron of the charity. 'Believing this a relevant opportunity to support a philanthropic cause, a representative of the events team proactively forwarded this to a small group of members, whom they believed would be interested in supporting this charitable cause,' she said.
The Advertiser
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Donor 'offered access to Prince William for cash'
A royal donor who tried to sell access to Prince William for more than $A40,000 has been cut loose, according to reports. Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire, offered private meetings with William at the upcoming Royal Charity Polo Cup match in exchange for STG20,000 ($A41,000), the Sunday Times reported. Her art gallery - the Mondejar Gallery - was an official sponsor of the annual charitable polo event, which is taking place in Windsor in July. Kensington Palace declined to comment. It is understood the palace was unaware of what is being viewed as a rogue sponsor until alerted by the newspaper, and action was taken immediately. The organisers of the event were not aware it was being used by the Mondejar Foundation to raise money, it is believed. The Mondejar Foundation has been approached for comment. The Royal Charity Polo Cup match is an exclusive event where charity donors can watch the prince play polo. Among the guests at the 2024 match was TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and wife Jackie, who were seen taking a courtesy golf buggy around the site. The event raised more than a STG1 million ($A2.1 million) for causes that William and wife Kate are passionate about, including Wales Air Ambulance, Child Bereavement UK, Place2Be, Action for Children and The Royal Marsden. A royal donor who tried to sell access to Prince William for more than $A40,000 has been cut loose, according to reports. Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire, offered private meetings with William at the upcoming Royal Charity Polo Cup match in exchange for STG20,000 ($A41,000), the Sunday Times reported. Her art gallery - the Mondejar Gallery - was an official sponsor of the annual charitable polo event, which is taking place in Windsor in July. Kensington Palace declined to comment. It is understood the palace was unaware of what is being viewed as a rogue sponsor until alerted by the newspaper, and action was taken immediately. The organisers of the event were not aware it was being used by the Mondejar Foundation to raise money, it is believed. The Mondejar Foundation has been approached for comment. The Royal Charity Polo Cup match is an exclusive event where charity donors can watch the prince play polo. Among the guests at the 2024 match was TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and wife Jackie, who were seen taking a courtesy golf buggy around the site. The event raised more than a STG1 million ($A2.1 million) for causes that William and wife Kate are passionate about, including Wales Air Ambulance, Child Bereavement UK, Place2Be, Action for Children and The Royal Marsden. A royal donor who tried to sell access to Prince William for more than $A40,000 has been cut loose, according to reports. Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire, offered private meetings with William at the upcoming Royal Charity Polo Cup match in exchange for STG20,000 ($A41,000), the Sunday Times reported. Her art gallery - the Mondejar Gallery - was an official sponsor of the annual charitable polo event, which is taking place in Windsor in July. Kensington Palace declined to comment. It is understood the palace was unaware of what is being viewed as a rogue sponsor until alerted by the newspaper, and action was taken immediately. The organisers of the event were not aware it was being used by the Mondejar Foundation to raise money, it is believed. The Mondejar Foundation has been approached for comment. The Royal Charity Polo Cup match is an exclusive event where charity donors can watch the prince play polo. Among the guests at the 2024 match was TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and wife Jackie, who were seen taking a courtesy golf buggy around the site. The event raised more than a STG1 million ($A2.1 million) for causes that William and wife Kate are passionate about, including Wales Air Ambulance, Child Bereavement UK, Place2Be, Action for Children and The Royal Marsden. A royal donor who tried to sell access to Prince William for more than $A40,000 has been cut loose, according to reports. Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire, offered private meetings with William at the upcoming Royal Charity Polo Cup match in exchange for STG20,000 ($A41,000), the Sunday Times reported. Her art gallery - the Mondejar Gallery - was an official sponsor of the annual charitable polo event, which is taking place in Windsor in July. Kensington Palace declined to comment. It is understood the palace was unaware of what is being viewed as a rogue sponsor until alerted by the newspaper, and action was taken immediately. The organisers of the event were not aware it was being used by the Mondejar Foundation to raise money, it is believed. The Mondejar Foundation has been approached for comment. The Royal Charity Polo Cup match is an exclusive event where charity donors can watch the prince play polo. Among the guests at the 2024 match was TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and wife Jackie, who were seen taking a courtesy golf buggy around the site. The event raised more than a STG1 million ($A2.1 million) for causes that William and wife Kate are passionate about, including Wales Air Ambulance, Child Bereavement UK, Place2Be, Action for Children and The Royal Marsden.
Daily Mail
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Prince of Wales charity donor sent out '£20K cash for access' invitation without William's knowledge - forcing Kensington Palace to cut ties with millionaire art gallery curator
A donor to the Prince of Wales's charities sent out a £20,000 'cash for access' invitation without his knowledge - forcing Kensington Palace to cut ties with her. Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a millionaire art gallery curator who sponsored William's annual polo fundraiser, offered a meeting with the Waleses for the whopping sum. The Filipina-Swiss philanthropist, 45, also told advertisers 'VVIP tickets', 'access to royalty' and a slot in a magazine given out at the polo could be theirs - for £50,000. The Royal Charity Polo Cup match sees millionaire donors gather to watch the future king play polo and donate to causes important to him. Over nearly 15 years of the prince taking part in the exclusive, invite-only event, set to return in Windsor next month, he has raised more than £13million for charity. Invitee Dr Mondejar Steiner issued her 'strictly private and confidential' offer to members of a luxury travel and lifestyle community, The Sunday Times reports. She told subscribers to A Small World in an email that donating a smaller set amount to her foundation could bag them a spot at the prestigious event. A larger sum, meanwhile, could earn members of the Swiss company - which offers members exclusive travel benefits, deals and events - an invite to meet William and his wife Princess Catherine themselves, she promised. The gallerist wrote: '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. 'Patron contributions: £6,000 - admission for one patron. £20,000 - includes full access plus a private audience with Prince William and Princess Catherine.' The message also promised a 'luncheon' with 'free-flowing champagne', entrance to an art exhibition and a chance to mingle with 'ultra-high-net-worth individuals, cultural icons and luxury leaders'. It warned: 'The attached invitation is for your eyes only and not to be shared publicly or on social media.' It jars with the highly private nature of the annual polo event. The palace often only announces William's involvement and releases event pictures after the match has finished - as happened last year. These recent revelations also threaten to cast a shadow over what is normally a highly important event for the prince. It allows him to enjoy one of his favourite sports since boyhood, surrounded by friends, family and supporters, while continuing his charity work. Previous events have seen him fundraise for causes including the Royal African Society, the Motor Neurone Disease Association and Mountain Rescue England and Wales. The Guards Polo Club, where the fundraiser takes place, also has a long-standing association with his family. The late Queen was its patron, while her husband the late Prince Philip was its president for nearly 70 years, from its formation in 1955 until his death in 2021. It also harks back to similar cash-for-access controversies while the King was Prince of Wales. Charles, who always denied knowing about any such deals, repeatedly met donors who donated purely on condition of meeting or dining with him. Not only this, it raises questions about how Dr Mondejar Steiner's gallery the Mondejar Gallery was allowed to become an official sponsor of the event. A Kensington Palace source said it had not been aware of the behaviour in the email, adding candidly William did not 'condone' it and there would be no 'cash for access'. They said they had since asked that the sponsorship to be terminated and were thankful to learn the truth. The source denied knowledge of her using the match to raise money for her own projects or selling access to William. They added they only knew about Dr Mondejar Steiner's gallery, not her foundation. It is believed the prince will still attend the event and host a private reception to express gratitude to 'those involved' in it. The palace said a Buckingham Palace secretariat had been the one to perform the checks on the Mondejar Gallery as a sponsor. It did not say how much Dr Mondejar Steiner paid to be named as a sponsor or put on an exhibition at the match, saying such sums varied. Documents show she had prepared 1,000 copies of her own magazine which she told advertisers would be given to 'ultra-high-net-worth' art sector leaders at the event. In the magazine, a double-page spread would cost advertisers £50,000, the back cover £35,000 and the inside front cover £30,000. Dr Mondejar Steiner declined to comment. Sources close to her said she could not as she had signed a confidentiality agreement preventing her speaking on the event until after it. They said her main goal is to fundraise for her father's technical college in her home city Tacloban in the Philippines, where she studied a BA in Computer Science, graduating in 1999. The Filipina 'collector and curator', who lives in Switzerland and is married to Swiss director Michael Steiner, studied fashion at University of the Arts London in 2003. She then took a further education course in art history at Oxford University from 2006 to 2008 and an Open University BA in Arts and Humanities from 2009 to 2011. This was followed by a PhD in Educational Management from the University of La Salette in the Philippines, listed on her LinkedIn as completed in January this year. Dr Mondejar Steiner was pictured with Prince Harry last September, at the annual awards of WellChild, a charity for sick children. Around the same time, she was also pictured with Benedict Cumberbatch at a film screening he hosted. It is unclear exactly how wealthy she is. Two operations she is linked to in California failed to file accounts and were struck off for it. She founded a property company in London in January, just before incorporating her foundation as a kind of non-profit, a 'community interest company', in April. Neither have a well-documented presence online. Brunilde Le Jossec, Head of Experiences at A Small World, said: 'To clarify, [our company] is not selling access, or facilitating any private meeting with members of the British royal family.' She said the Mondejar Foundation approached ASW directly, asking to share details of its invitation to become its patron. She continued: 'Believing this a relevant opportunity to support a philanthropic cause, a representative of the events team proactively forwarded this to a small group of members, whom they believed would be interested in supporting this charitable cause.'
