Did you know you could buy your way into being connected with the royals? In a way, it makes sense, but it still seems a little shady. It's even shadier to know that the reported head behind this operation is Ben Elliot, the nephew of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Elliot is currently a co-chairman of the Conservative Party. His mother is Camilla's sister. The 45-year old is also known as being the founder of the Quintessentially Group, a luxury lifestyle group that he founded with two others back in 2000.
The group, in itself, is all about having access to the rich and famous. So it makes sense why Elliot might not think twice over profiting from the royal family.
Ben Elliot co-founded the business with Aaron Simpson and Paul Drummond. This isn't the first business that Elliot has founded. Prior to, he started up the London business K-Bar PLC, which owned and operated nightclubs and bars. His knowledge, along with his connections, are likely a big part of what makes Quintessentially successful.
According to The Independent, Elliot often lets people he meets through Quintessentially connect with the Prince of Wales, likely to build the cred of a "luxury lifestyle." Being able to say that you met up with Prince Charles is quite an honor for many.
However, the meeting may come at an additional cost. When Prince Charles is introduced to such people, he often discusses the charity work he does. So in a way, it's almost like a fundraiser — but it's unclear if the person who paid for royal access actually knows that at the time.
For some people, getting a selfie with Prince Charles may be rewarding enough, along with the fact that Charles might remember their name at a future event. Yet it's important to think about the money required for a Quintessentially membership altogether. The Sunday Times reports that an annual "elite" membership fee can run around £15,000.
That cost is about $20,850 in US dollars — an amount that many Americans struggle to make in a year in order to survive. But it seems like many people would pay that amount for the clout. The group currently has approximately 86,000 subscribers.
One of those subscribers is Mohamed Amersi, a telecom millionaire who spoke to the Sunday Times about his experience. He was set to meet Prince Charles in Scotland, but it's unclear if Prince Charles officially knew that this meeting was set up and paid for in advance. But for Amersi, it was a chance — in his eyes — to open a door.
"Unless you have somebody like him who opens these doors for you, it’s not possible, it's not so easy," Amersi told the publication. "I call it access capitalism. It's the same point. You get access, you get invitations, you get privileged relationships if you are part of the set-up, and where you are financially making a contribution to be a part of that set up. Absolutely."
As Sean O'Grady from The Independent states, it's unlikely that Prince Charles can even make a lot of changes right now. "The Prince of Wales has no power, and — from what can be judged — very little influence," O'Grady said. "Even his own mother doesn't pay much attention to him — one reason, you suspect, why she is still soldiering on." It seems a bit salty, but it does have a dash of truth to it.
But based on the amount of access granted, people like Amersi might not realize that at first. As he told the Sunday Times, his membership level invited him to be "exposed to the establishment here, whether it is the royal establishment, Clarence House, St James’s Palace, Buckingham Palace, Dumfries House, whether it is the government and No 10 and other influential aspects of government."
Using big names and connections is a great way to possibly scam others out of money. But Ben Elliot seems OK on his own. Back in 2011, Charles and Camilla attended Elliot's wedding when he was already a multimillionaire. His wife also has impressive connections — she's Mary-Clare Winwood, the daughter of musician Steve Winwood.
No matter what, this operation just proves how influential the royal family can be. For the opportunity to simply be in their presence, people are willing to drop a lot of money. In their minds, they may feel like these weak connections may lead to something down the road. Which — they might, but the chances are slim.
But some people with a lot of money are willing to spend it if it means going up in the social ranks. It seems like Elliot's company thrives on knowing that people really want a taste of luxury in their lives. As the Quintessentially website states, "In addition to providing bespoke access and day-to-day assistance, we have teams in place to manage everything from travel to education to art to weddings to wine. These in-house experts help take care of every aspect of our members' lives, ensuring they're engaged and experiencing the absolute best the world has to offer." And perhaps the royal connection is just that.
