Anthony Pratt revealed that advisors to Prince Charles had urged him to cease making payments to the future king to avoid any perceived impropriety

Anthony Pratt, one of Australia's wealthiest individuals, disclosed that advisers to Prince Charles had requested him to discontinue financial contributions to the future monarch, expressing concerns about the potential for misinterpretation. These revelations stem from recently released audio recordings.

On Tuesday, the Nine newspapers published covertly recorded audio conversations in which Pratt, the billionaire at the helm of a packaging and recycling empire, discussed his interactions with influential global figures, including Prince Charles.

The audio recordings capture Pratt's discussions regarding substantial donations, amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, which he had made to support the Prince of Wales. Pratt mentioned that he had recently received correspondence from Prince Charles's advisers, suggesting that he direct these contributions to the Prince's trust.

In the audio, Pratt remarked, "They are on the verge of assuming the throne, and Prince Charles is keen to avoid any actions that might undermine the monarchy."

Furthermore, Pratt emphasized that the motivation behind these actions was not due to any illegality but stemmed from a desire to steer clear of any situation similar to a previous controversy, where a knighthood had allegedly been granted in exchange for financial considerations.

The recording is believed to allude to an alleged cash-for-honors scandal in which a former aide to Prince Charles faced accusations of facilitating a knighthood for a wealthy Saudi benefactor.

In addition to these revelations, the audio snippets include Pratt highlighting the value of his substantial wealth, referring to it as his "superpower." He also offered an assessment of the future king as an "undervalued political asset."

It is important to note that Guardian Australia has not implied any impropriety in these financial transactions.

The release of these new audio recordings follows previous reports that delved into Anthony Pratt's connections with prominent figures such as Donald Trump, former Australian Prime Ministers Paul Keating and Tony Abbott.

Both Nine newspapers and The New York Times have published audio recordings in which Pratt claimed that Donald Trump had privately discussed his conversations with world leaders and shared details about airstrikes on Iranian-backed militants in Iraq. These details had not been made public until then.

The New York Times report included allegations that Trump had shared classified information about U.S. nuclear submarine capabilities with Pratt, which piqued the interest of U.S. prosecutors investigating the former president's handling of classified data.

In response, Trump vehemently rejected these reports as "fake news." He took to social media to dismiss the claims and underscore his focus on job creation, economic prosperity, low taxes, and other key priorities.

It's worth noting that Trump and Pratt had previously enjoyed a positive relationship, and in 2019, the former U.S. president participated in the inauguration of a new Pratt Industries paper plant in Ohio. During the event, Trump lauded Pratt as a "friend" and celebrated his significant achievements.

"We gather here to commemorate a momentous opening and to honor a distinguished individual," Trump stated. "Anthony Pratt stands as one of the most accomplished individuals in the world, perhaps even Australia's most successful."