Quintessentially: Firm founded by Queen Camilla’s nephew switches auditor amid accounts delays
Quintessentially, the members-only concierge service founded by the nephew of Queen Camilla, Ben Elliot, has switched its auditors amid severe delays to the company’s accounts.
BDO officially resigned as the auditor for Quintessentially (UK), the parent company, yesterday, according to an update on Companies House.
A spokesperson for Quintessentially confirmed the change to City A.M., but said that the decision to replace BDO with Mayfair accountants Sopher & Co was made back in March.
The change comes amid severe delays to its accounts for 2021 and 2022, with the former overdue by well over a year, according to Companies House.
The spokesperson said that the company plans to publish both of them by the “end of the summer.”
BDO was also the auditor for Quintessentially Travel up until it resigned in August last year.
Again, BDO said at the time that the decision was driven by the company and not BDO, which was replaced by White Hart Associates – an accountancy firm specialising in the travel industry.
BDO declined to comment “due to confidentiality”.
In its 2019 accounts, Quintessentially admitted to making £7m in accounting errors and paying out £1.4m in unlawful dividends, reporting a £4.4m loss in 2019 on revenues of £50m.
Founded in 1999, Elliot and co-founders Aaron Simpson and Paul Drummond, offer an array of services, including access to exclusive events, including ones at Downing Street and Buckingham Palace.
Elloit was also the co-chair of the Conservative party until resigned in September hours after Liz Truss was appointed as the party’s new leader.