The Prince of Wales has severed ties with a donor who appeared to attempt to sell royal access for £20,000, without his knowledge.
Minerva Mondejar Steiner, a Filipina-Swiss millionaire art gallery curator, reportedly offered private meetings with William and Princess Kate at the upcoming Royal Charity Polo Cup match in exchange for payment.
The 45-year-old philanthropist's gallery, the Mondejar Gallery, was an official sponsor of the annual charitable polo event, scheduled for next month in Windsor.
According to reports, Kensington Palace was unaware of the rogue sponsor's alleged activities until alerted by the press.
Prince William has cut ties with a donor after they reportedly were offering royal access for a fee.
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Palace sources confirmed to the Sunday Times that immediate action was taken to terminate the sponsorship once they learned of the apparent cash-for-access scheme.
The organisers of the prestigious event were also reportedly unaware it was being used by the Mondejar Foundation to raise money.
GB News has contacted the Mondejar Gallery and Mondejar Foundation for comment.
Sources close to the philanthropist told The Times that she could not speak about the event until it had taken place as per a confidentiality agreement.
They added that Mondejar Steiner's chief aim was to gather funds for a technical college in her home city Tacloban in the Philippines that had been founded by her father.
Minerva Mondejar Steiner supported the Prince William's annual charitable polo event through her gallery.
Instagram: @minerva_mondejargallery
Dr Mondejar Steiner reportedly issued what she called a "strictly private and confidential" offer to members of A Small World, a luxury travel and lifestyle community.
In her email, she was seen to write: "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 message reportedly detailed specific contribution levels: "£6,000 - admission for one patron. £20,000 - includes full access plus a private audience with Prince William and Princess Catherine.
She also promised attendees a "luncheon" with "free-flowing champagne", entrance to an art exhibition and opportunities to mingle with "ultra-high-net-worth individuals, cultural icons and luxury leaders".
The email warned recipients that the invitation was "for your eyes only and not to be shared publicly or on social media".
The Royal Charity Polo Cup match is set to begin next month.
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The Royal Charity Polo Cup is an exclusive, invite-only event where wealthy donors gather to watch the future king play polo.
The palace typically announces William's involvement and releases photographs only after the match has concluded, maintaining the event's highly private nature.
Over nearly 15 years of the prince's participation, the fundraiser has generated more than £13million for charity.
Last year's match raised over £1million for causes close to William and Kate's hearts, including Wales Air Ambulance, Child Bereavement UK, Place2Be, Action for Children and The Royal Marsden.
Previous guests have included TV presenter and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and his wife Jackie, who were spotted touring the grounds in a courtesy golf buggy.
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Kensington Palace was said to have been unaware of the venture until informed by the press.
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A Kensington Palace source told The Times that the Palace had not been aware of the behaviour in the email, stating that William did not "condone" it and there would be no "cash for access".
The source denied any knowledge of Dr Mondejar Steiner using the match to raise money for her own projects or selling access to William.
They added they were only aware of Mondejar Steiner's gallery, not her foundation, and did not know she was raising money for herself.
Despite the scandal, it is believed the prince will still attend the event and host a private reception to express gratitude to "those involved" in it.
Dr Mondejar Steiner, who lives in Switzerland and is married to Swiss director Michael Steiner, studied fashion at University of the Arts London and later pursued art history at Oxford University.
She recently completed a PhD in Educational Management from the University of La Salette in the Philippines.
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