Step right up and get your very own Queen's Knighthood for the low price of $2,000,000! That's how much a Saudi gentleman by the name of Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz forked over to become a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE), according to The Times. The paper reports that he was able to purchase the honor by making a "donation" to Prince Charles' charity.
From Insider:
The publication reported that Saudi businessman Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz paid tens of thousands of dollars "to fixers with links to the prince" who told him they could award him an honorary CBE — the highest-ranking Order of the British Empire award for those who are not British citizens.
…
According to the Times of London, Charles presented Mahfouz with an honorary CBE in a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace in 2016, which was not published in the Court Circular — the official list of royal engagements. Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment about the ceremony and other elements of this report.
Upshot: assume any Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire bought his title.
