Prince Charles was apparently the victim of a $134 million art hoax.
Known American forger Tony Tetro, who has been convicted of art fraud in the past, claimed in an interview with the Daily Mail that he forged not one, not two but three paintings with an insurance value of $134 million that were loaned to Dumfries House via James Stunt and subsequently displayed at the Prince of Wales’ Scottish estate.
Tetro told the Mail on Sunday that he forged a Monet titled Lily Pads 1882, which was reportedly authenticated by the Wildenstein Institute in Paris, a Picasso called Liberated Bathers and a Dali called Dying Christ.
“I was very proud of that,” he said of the fake Monet. “It was a good Monet.”
The convicted forger explained that three paintings were reportedly part of a 17-artwork collection loaned to Dumfries House by Stunt, who told the outlet that “none of these pictures have come back, they are all there. No Monet has come back to me because it is not real.”
“None of my stuff is fake,” he added, despite Tetro telling them that “there is no question it: James knew they were mine.” Dumfries House also claims to have returned the paintings, the Daily Mail reported.
Charles has run The Prince’s Foundation for architecture and art since 2007, and Dumfries House is part of the organization which is focused on education, community and support of the artistic community. In a statement released to People around the scandal, a spokesperson called the hoax “extremely regrettable.”
“Dumfries House accepts artwork on loan from time to time from individuals and organizations such as the Scottish National Gallery,” the statement read. “It is extremely regrettable that the authenticity of these particular few paintings, which are no longer on display, now appears to be in doubt.”
20 PHOTOSQueen Elizabeth and her son, Prince Charles, together through the yearsSee GalleryQueen Elizabeth and her son, Prince Charles, together through the years
Prince Charles with his mother Queen Elizabeth II, in 1969. (Photo by � Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)
BURNLEY, UNITED KINGDOM -MAY 16: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales travel down the Leeds and Liverpool Canal on the ‘Pride of Sefton’ barge on day 1 of a visit to the North West of England as part of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee Tour of the UK on May 16, 2012 in Burnley, England. (Photo by Indigo/Getty Images)
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UNITED KINGDOM – JANUARY 01:Great Britain, The Duchess Of Windsor, The Queen Elizabeth Ii And Prince Charles(Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
BRAEMAR, SCOTLAND – SEPTEMBER 2: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall with Queen Elizabeth II attend the Braemar Games Highland gathering on September 2, 2006, Scotland. (Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images) 
A young Prince Charles in the back of a car with his mother, Queen Elizabeth II and his sister Princess Anne. (Photo by � Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – JUNE 01:The Line Of Succession Of The British Monarchy – Queen Elizabeth II With Her Consort, Prince Philip Posing With Their Son Prince Charles, The Prince Of Wales, And His Son, Prince William. Three Generations Of The British Royal Family Gathered At Clarence House(Photo by Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty Images)
Prince Charles, Duke Philip of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth II welcome US President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan at Windsor Castle during an official visit to England. (Photo by Larry Downing/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images)
BRAEMAR, SCOTLAND – SEPTEMBER 06:Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales attend the annual Braemar Highland Games on September 6, 2014 in Braemar, Scotland.(Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) with her baby son Prince Charles, 1949. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JUNE 16:Queen Elizabeth II greets her son Charles the Prince of Wales at a polo match at Windsor Great Park following the second day of Royal Ascot on June 16, 2004 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)
These pictures of eight year old Prince Charles and his Royal parents – Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh – are the most informal ever taken of the baby Prince and his youthful mother and father. These pictures are from a film made for the British Newsreels Association in the grounds of Windlesham Moor, country home in Surrey of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke. PICTURE SHOWS: Family life at its happiest expressed in radiant smiles of Princess Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh and their infant son, Prince Charles. (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)
Undated picture showing the Royal British couple, Queen Elizabeth II, and her husband Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, with their two children, Charles, Prince of Wales (L) and Princess Anne (R), circa 1951. (Photo credit should read OFF/AFP/Getty Images)
The Queen & The Prince Of Wales Attend A Charity Polo Match At Guards Polo Club In Windsor. . (Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
The Royal family share a joke with Geoff Capes as they attend the Braemar Highland Games in Scotland. Left to right are: The Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, Prince Charles and Geoff Capes. 4th September 1982. (Photo by Kent Gavin/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (L), Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (C) and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II (R) talk on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on the final ceremonial day of the Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations in London on June 5, 2012. Queen Elizabeth II led a grand carriage procession through London to mark her diamond jubilee Tuesday but faced the crowning moment of the festivities without her ill husband Prince Philip. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL(Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages)
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – JUNE 05:Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Queen Elizabeth II attend a thanksgiving service to mark her Diamond Jubilee at St Paul’s cathedral on June 5, 2012 in London, England. For only the second time in its history the UK celebrates the Diamond Jubilee of a monarch. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrates the 60th anniversary of her ascension to the throne today with a carriage procession and a service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral. (Photo by Suzanne Plunkett – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 08: (L-R) Prince Charles, Prince of Wales listens as Queen Elizabeth II delivers her speech during the State Opening of Parliament on May 8, 2013 in London, England. Queen Elizabeth II unveiled the coalition government’s legislative programme in a speech delivered to Members of Parliament and Peers in The House of Lords. Proposed legislation is expected to be introduced on toughening immigration regulations, capping social care costs in England and setting a single state pension rate of 144 GBP per week. (Photo by Jon Bond – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
BRAEMAR, SCOTLAND – SEPTEMBER 06:Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales attend the annual Braemar Highland Games on September 6, 2014 in Braemar, Scotland.(Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
CUMNOCK, SCOTLAND – JULY 02: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales during a visit to Belling Hospitality Centre in the grounds of Dumfries House on July 2, 2014 in Cumnock, Scotland.The Queen viewed preparations for the Commonwealth Games as part of a week of engagements in Scotland. The monarch was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh on a visit to Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall, where the uniform and accreditation centre for the 2014 Games is located. (Photo by Danny Lawson – WPA Pool/Getty Images)Up Next
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