Prince William cuts ties with donor allegedly selling royal access

Theresa Braine, New York Daily News on Jun 30, 2025

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The UK’s Prince William has reportedly dropped a donor to his annual charity polo match who was allegedly peddling access to him and his wife, Princess of Wales Kate Middleton.

The Royal Charity Polo Cup tournament cut ties with millionaire Minerva Mondejar Steiner after The Times of London reported Sunday that the art gallery owner was soliciting thousands of dollars in donations for her own philanthropic foundation, allegedly using an audience with the Prince and Princess of Wales as bait.

By Monday, Mondejar Steiner’s name was excised from the invitation-only, millionaire guest list for next month’s match in Windsor, People reported, and the Mondejar Gallery was no longer a sponsor. Tournament organizers were unaware of the foundation and had no ties to it, People said.

The annual polo event raises money for causes close to the royal couple’s hearts from attendees’ typically generous donations as they watch the prince play polo. Mondejar Steiner, originally on the guest list, allegedly added a side hustle to that with a “strictly private and confidential” invitation to wealthy people belonging to the luxury concierge service A Small World, The Times reported. She told them donations to her own philanthropic foundation would get them into the polo event and a possible meeting with William.

One patron could join for 6,000 pounds, or a little over $8,000, according to an email obtained by The Times. A 20,000-pound gift to the Mondejar Foundation would net said donor “full access plus a private audience with Prince William and Princess Catherine,” according to a screenshot the newspaper posted. Separately, her team also dangled a William meeting before potential advertisers willing to pay 50,000 pounds, or nearly $69,000, for a two-page spread in a magazine that would be given out at the tournament. That price also included two “VVIP tickets” to the event and “access to the royals,” The Times reported.

Event details are normally kept under wraps until it is over, with Kensington Palace reporting the prince’s participation after the fact, along with the amounts raised and the charities supported. Last year’s event, the 13th time William has played, raised 13 million pounds, or nearly $18 million, for 11 charities, the palace said in July 2024.

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