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Before Queen Camilla travels to Balmoral for the royals’ annual Scottish holiday, she vacationed in the Mediterranean with her family. The Queen was photographed off the coast of Greece on the superyacht Zenobia, valued around $40 million. Zenobia is owned by Syrian-Saudi businessman and philanthropist Wafic Saïd.
“The Parker-Bowles family have been close friends of mine for over 40 years,” Saïd told the Mirror. “Tom Parker-Bowles was at school with my son, and Tom and Laura are like children to me. We have remained friendly with both Brigadier Parker-Bowles [Camilla’s ex-husband Andrew] and the Queen ever since.”
He added, “It is natural for me to offer my boat to close friends when I am not using it. I was therefore pleased to offer it to the family and glad to learn she is enjoying time with her children and grandchildren.”
Per YachtCharterFleet, which lists all superyachts, the Zenobia can sleep 12 guests in six suites, with one VIP cabin.
Saïd and his family have donated millions to the UK’s Conservative party over the decades, and he notably brokered the Al Yamamah arms deal between Saudi Arabia and the UK in the 1980s, where the UK sold military equipment to Saudi Arabia. In 2016, Barclays removed his accounts, and Saïd sued the bank. He defended his actions while discussing loaning his yacht to the Queen.
“On my past work, particularly Al Yamamah: in 1983 the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, asked me to advise on negotiations with the Saudi government. I remain proud to have been part of what she called her team ‘batting for Britain,’” he told the Mirror. “The deal, Britain’s largest ever export agreement, generated around £43billion for UK companies and supported over 30,000 UK defence jobs. To those who criticise my role… would they rather I had declined, and the contract gone elsewhere? I have never bought or sold so much as a penknife, and any claim otherwise would be false and damaging.” The deal was investigated in the early 2000s.
He added, “In 2016, Barclays wrongly closed my accounts, believing I was resident in Syria. After I sued the bank apologised publicly, confirmed no wrongdoing by me or my family, and contributed to my legal costs in defending my interests in this case.”
On his wife Rosemary’s status as a Conservative Party voter and donor, Saïd noted, “I do not see how her political affiliations are relevant to our friendship with the Parker-Bowles family.”
Still, it raises concerns as King Charles is meant to remain politically impartial in his role as Head of State. “The UK has a constitutional monarchy, meaning that whilst The King is the Head of State, he remains politically impartial,” the royal family’s website notes, adding, King Charles “remains politically neutral on all matters.”
Thus, Queen Camilla’s trip has faced criticism in the UK. “Members of the Royal Family really ought to consider the public perception of such episodes, whether they are on holiday or official business,” Lib Dem minister Norman Baker told the Mirror. “They are representing the country at all times and, let’s be honest, it’s not as if they are short of cash. This is not a good look for Camilla, especially when the relationships between the royals and their associates are rightly called into question.”
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