Prince William Was Warned About Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem in 2022 and Carried On Anyway

When the latest tranche of Jeffrey Epstein files emerged at the end of January 2026, attention did not stay confined to past allegations or familiar names. The disclosures exposed lines of correspondence, business ties, and social circles that many people had not previously known about. Newly unsealed material repeatedly referenced Emirati billionaire Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, pulling the powerful logistics executive back into public view. Within days, headlines shifted from historical curiosity to present-day accountability. Investors questioned corporate governance, advocacy groups demanded answers, and scrutiny quickly expanded beyond Sulayem himself.

That widening spotlight soon reached Prince William because of his professional and philanthropic ties to the former DP World chairman. Photographs, past meetings, and funding links quickly resurfaced across news outlets and social media. Critics reported the Earthshot Prize to the Charity Commission, arguing that he showed poor judgment by accepting corporate partnerships connected to Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. The regulator confirmed it would review concerns around donor vetting and financial transparency. More troubling for many observers is that William had already received a public warning about Sulayem four years earlier, during a period of national controversy that had already signalled clear reputational risks and due diligence concerns.

The Warning That Was Already on Record

In March 2022, The Daily Mail reported that Prince William had collaborated with Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem through environmental initiatives linked to the Earthshot Prize and the United for Wildlife programme. At the same time, public anger exploded after P&O Ferries dismissed 800 UK crew members without notice. The decision triggered protests, parliamentary debates, and widespread criticism across the country. DP World, the parent company of P&O Ferries and chaired by Sulayem, became a focal point of that outrage. The controversy placed William’s professional proximity under immediate scrutiny because images showed the two men meeting in Dubai while the employment crisis dominated British headlines.

Former Home Office minister Norman Baker addressed the issue directly and urged William to cut ties. He stated that remaining associated with such a company damaged the royal image and risked public trust. His prophetic remarks are important because they came from an experienced political figure rather than a sycophantic royal reporter or commentator. Despite this, William continued collaborative engagements and accepted ongoing partnerships connected to DP World initiatives. Critics now view that decision as a missed opportunity to demonstrate stronger judgment at a time when the warning signs already stood in plain sight. The episode revealed early concerns about how reputational risks were assessed by William and whether internal and external advice received adequate consideration.

Earthshot Funding and Due Diligence Questions

Earthshot presents itself as a modern environmental prize with strong ethics and careful donor checks. That image now looks weaker because one of its early backers, DP World, was led by Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem when the funding links were formed. Many are questioning whether the prize applied the same level of scrutiny it publicly promises, especially after later disclosures brought Sulayem back into controversy and cast doubt on the judgment behind those partnerships.

Prince William’s 2016 visit to DP World’s London Gateway port was originally framed as a wildlife-protection initiative and a sign of international cooperation. Today, however, released emails show Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem casually referencing royal meetings and Buckingham Palace functions in messages to Jeffrey Epstein. Wider revelations have made those exchanges far more troubling, especially after reports accused other senior royals, most notably Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, of sharing confidential trade material with Epstein.

The pressure on Earthshot today is not just about money. The issue centres on decision-making. Campaigners reported the charity to the UK Charity Commission to uncover what checks officials completed before accepting corporate support. They are demanding clear answers on who approved the partnership, what risks advisers discussed, and whether leaders ignored any concerns. The focus has shifted from donation amounts to transparency and responsibility, with many arguing that charities linked to senior royals should show stronger screening than anyone else.

New Revelations Renew Old Doubts

Recent Epstein-file disclosures have not only revived Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem’s past correspondence but also renewed scrutiny of Prince William’s judgment and proximity to controversial figures. Images of shared events and references to royal functions have resurfaced at the same time that public support for the monarchy has fallen to around 45 percent, its lowest recorded level. Members of the public have heckled both King Charles and William over the fallout, showing that the issue has moved beyond headlines and into public sentiment.

What began as a question of optics now touches the future of the institution itself. William is often presented as the monarchy’s next major image hope, with palace teams eager to position him and his family as a modern “first family” as Charles can no longer carry that role in the same way. Yet it now looks like William lacks depth and gravitas, and is a weak advertisement for the Crown rather than a stabilising figure. Persistent online rumours, which this article will not detail for legal reasons, continue to circulate and add background noise that cannot be ignored.

Uncertainty around King Charles’s health, paired with the palace’s habit of saying very little, has already sparked talk that William could reach the throne sooner than anyone planned. If the early warnings and governance questions keep getting brushed aside, the handover may highlight the monarchy’s cracks rather than polish its image.

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