More trouble for the Royal Family: Prince William’s charity has been reported to the Charity Commission of the UK

Prince William’s Earthshot Prize claims to find, support and celebrate those who turn bold ideas into solutions for our planet. In early February 2026, Prince the Earthshot Prize charity was reported to the UK’s Charity Commission. This followed the release of millions of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. The complaint centers on a “founding partner” of the charity and their alleged communications with Epstein. The controversy stems from the multiple and at times salacious inclusions of Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, DP World chairman, in the latest release of “Epstein files” from the U.S. Department of Justice.

• Financial Link: DP World is a “Global Alliance Founding Partner” of the Earthshot Prize and has reportedly donated at least £1 million to the charity
• The Emails: Documents suggest that in April 2009, while Jeffrey Epstein was serving a jail sentence in Florida, he emailed bin Sulayem with the message: “Where are you? are you ok, I loved the torture video.” Other files reportedly contain sexist jokes sent from bin Sulayem to Epstein.
• Royal Connection: Prince William has been photographed with bin Sulayem on several occasions, including during a high-profile tour of the UAE in 2022 to promote Earthshot finalists.

The complaint was formally lodged on February 11, 2026, by Graham Smith, CEO of the anti-monarchy group Republic. The primary arguments are:

• Due Diligence: The complaint questions whether Earthshot performed adequate background checks on its major donors and partners.
• Official Misuse: Critics argue that Prince William used government-funded overseas visits (specifically to the Middle East) to promote what is essentially his private charitable project, drawing parallels to previous criticisms of Andrew’s conduct as a trade envoy.
• Transparency: Republic is calling for a “full and comprehensive investigation” into what the charity—and Prince William personally—knew about the donor’s associations.

A Charity Commission spokesperson confirmed they are aware of the concerns regarding the sources of funding for Earthshot and are assessing the information to determine if a formal investigation is required. While the Palace has not commented specifically on the Earthshot funding, a spokesperson stated that the Prince and Princess of Wales are “deeply concerned” by the broader Epstein revelations and that their thoughts remain with the victims. The charity has thus far declined to provide a formal comment on the specific complaint.

This development occurs at a sensitive time for the Royal Family, as fresh allegations also suggest Andrew may have shared confidential government trade reports with Epstein during his time as a UK trade envoy.