10/31/2010, "Andrew’s friend the Abu Dhabi prince - and the £3billion windfarm off Britain that could earn the Queen millions," UK Daily Mail, Ian Gallagher and George Arbuthnott
"An Arab royal who frequently entertains Prince Andrew has secured a multi million-pound stake in the world’s biggest windfarm in a deal that could earn a fortune for the Queen.
Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan – the brother of the ruler of Abu Dhabi – has been friends with Andrew since their days at Gordonstoun School in Scotland.
His energy company, Masdar, owns 20 per cent of the planned £3 billion London Array windfarm in the Thames Estuary. And last night questions were raised about the Duke of York’s possible role in facilitating the deal.
It is understood that Andrew was consulted when Shell, an original member of the consortium running the scheme, withdrew its backing.
The Mail on Sunday has learned that on the night Masdar won the contract, Andrew joined its executives at a celebration dinner at a London restaurant.
Once complete, the project is expected to yield big profits for Masdar and its partners. The 341 turbines, each the size of Nelson’s Column, will produce enough electricity to power every home in Kent and Sussex.
But as well as making money for the rulers of Abu Dhabi, the windfarm will also generate funds for Andrew’s own family – because the seabed within Britain’s territorial waters is owned by the Crown Estate.
The Mail on Sunday revealed last week that with the Government scrapping the Civil List and instead giving the Queen 15 per cent of Crown Estate profits, experts estimate that offshore windfarms could net the Royals up to £37.5 million a year on top of earnings from the rest of the Estate’s £6 billion property portfolio.
The Duke is a regular visitor to Abu Dhabi, part of the United Arab Emirates. In April he was given free run of a luxury villa inside the Gulf royals’ personal compound – hospitality that some felt was at odds with his role as an ambassador for British business. Andrew is also a regular visitor to Sheikh Mohammed’s house in Morocco, where the pair go hunting.
Last night, critics said the Masdar deal represented a potential conflict of interest, although Buckingham Palace insisted Andrew played no part in it.
‘This raises very serious questions about how appropriate it is to fund the Royals from a state-owned property empire, which is basically what the Crown Estate is,’ said Graham Smith, campaign manager of anti-monarchist group Republic.
‘How can we know that when Andrew is lobbying business and when Prince Charles is lobbying on green energy that they’re not pursuing
- their own interests above those of the country?’
In December 2003, the consortium running London Array was chosen by the Crown Estate after a tender process. Originally, the three successful companies were Shell, the German energy giant E.ON and Danish firm Dong Energy. But in May 2008 Shell suddenly pulled out.
Two months later, as E.ON and Dong Energy desperately sought a new partner, Prince Andrew hosted a seminar for Masdar at Buckingham Palace which was attended by business leaders, academics and the then Business Secretary John Hutton.
Its theme was renewable energy and the delegates called for greater collaboration between Masdar and the UK to ‘develop an affordable, sustainable energy future’.
Afterwards, senior Masdar executives met the Queen and other Royals in a ‘private event’ in the Palace garden.
The Mail on Sunday understands that around this time E.ON, which industry insiders say has been keen on working with Masdar for some time, also entertained Andrew, although the company declined to explain why.
Then, on October 16, 2008, it was announced that Masdar had been given a 20 per cent stake in the project. That night, Andrew attended the party given by Masdar at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze restaurant in Grosvenor Square, Central London. Curiously, Masdar did not have to take part in the tender process. Sources say the deal was ‘private’.
In a statement, the Crown Estate said: ‘E.ON’s decision to sell a share of their stake in London Array is a matter for E.ON. In buying their stake in the project company, Masdar has inherited the same obligations under the lease as granted to E.ON and their other project partner.’
Abu Dhabi’s ruling family launched Masdar in 2006 after developing nations criticised its massive energy usage – the UAE has the world’s highest carbon footprint per capita. It also unveiled plans for the world’s first zero-carbon city. Andrew has lobbied hard for British companies looking to secure contracts in the Masdar City development.
Two of his ex-girlfriends have links to Sheikh Mohammed. When the Sheikh’s brother, Mansour, bought Manchester City Football Club two years ago, Amanda Staveley, an ex-girlfriend of Andrew, brokered the deal. She also acted for Mansour when he bought a stake in Barclays.
Another of Andrew’s girlfriends, Lebanese Christina Keserwan, helps Mohammed breed racing horses.
Last night it remained unclear whether Masdar was suggested as a possible partner in the windfarm project by the Royal Family or the Government, which made a point of praising the deal.
Prince Charles, who takes a close personal interest in Crown Estate matters, also has close links to Masdar. He is the patron of the Masdar Institute, a ‘green’ think-tank. Industry insiders say E.ON was interested in establishing a broader alliance with Masdar –- and gaining access to its financial firepower.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said yesterday: ‘The Duke played no role – formal or informal – in Masdar’s involvement in the London Array deal. He was invited, as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, to the celebratory meal held by Masdar on winning the contract.
'This is entirely appropriate since the Duke is a strong supporter of the Masdar City initiative and has lobbied hard for British firms to win some of the £12.5 billion of contracts on offer there. There was never any conflict of interest on the part of His Royal Highness.’"
"Mutual benefit: Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed al-Nahayan has been friends with Prince Andrew since childhood."
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