Michael Fawcett

Fawcett rose to become Prince Charles's personal valet. Fawcett is widely described by his employees as strict, and often bullying, but was protected by the Prince, such as in an episode in 1998 in which various staff complained about Fawcett's bullying attitude. Former royal press officer Dickie Arbiter remarked of Fawcett, "Fawcett has been there for so many years, so close in times of stress, that he knows all the ins and outs and all the warts."[1] This has been contrasted against biographies such as ‘Behind Palace Doors’ where Major Colin Burgess pondered why Fawcett has been able to exert influence in royal circles to the degree he has with little formal education or professional experience.

In 2003, Fawcett received an injunction against The Mail on Sunday, banning them from writing about an unspecified allegation. A few days later, Prince Charles issued a statement, asserting that the unspecified banned allegation was untrue.[2]

In March 2003, after the report by Sir Michael Peat accusing him of selling gifts during his time working for the royal household, including a Rolex Daytona watch valued at £3500.[3] Despite his official resignation, he returned to work for the Prince as a freelance organiser and in other roles, while those employees who had complained were "no longer with the Prince's staff".

In 2005, the former royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke said to the Mail on Sunday that in 2003 many people had been afraid to help with the Peat inquiry: "None came forward because no one could guarantee Michael would go. He resigned, then four days later he was back. Everybody was concerned that if you spoke out against him, he could get rid of you."[3]