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Prince & Princess of Wales

William and Kate set to attend ICAP Charity Day

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be attending ICAP’s 23rd annual Charity Day on Wednesday 9 December.

The Charity Day has ICAP donate the day’s revenue and commissions so the organisation may make large donations to multiple selected charities. One such Charity that funds will be donated to is SkillForce, which Prince William is Patron. Place2Be and Sports Aid, which The Duchess is Patron, will also be receiving donations.

ICAP is a principal markets operator and provides post trade risk mitigation and information services, by matching buyers and sellers in the wholesale markets.

Since ICAP’s Charity Day first started in 1993, more than £120 million has been raised for charities across the globe. Over 60 ICAP offices worldwide annually take part.

To celebrate this year’s Charity Day, Prince William and Kate will be taken on a tour of the ICAP offices. The couple will meet and speak to ICAP brokers who trade across a range of asset classes, as well as representatives from Place2Be, SportsAid and SkillForce.

With the guidance of brokers, The Duke and Duchess will speak to some ICAP clients to ‘close’ deals over the phone. The exchange is sure to get fierce, as it is known William and Kate enjoy some friendly competition between them.

Prince William has had experience with ICAP’s Charity Day. One such time being in 2006, the 24-year-old prince brokered a multi-million-pound deal. Taking to the phones, William sold 10 billion yen- around £45 million to a client in Amsterdam.

According to The Prince of Wales website, William picked up on the art of closing deals quickly.

Speaking on an old fashioned black receiver: “How you doing. We’re having quite a mad time. I hope you are in fancy dress as well. We’ve got some very odd looking surgeons here.”

Once the deal got under way, William said:  “He is saying something, I have no idea.” With a bit of  prompting, Prince William shouted across the floor: “What’s your bid? What are you paying?”

All didn’t seem to be going well when he remarked: “I think he has hung up.” But as the deal was completed he shouted “Yours,” meaning the trade had been clinched, followed by “All done” – City speak for a finished transaction.

In 2013, The Duchess of Cornwall took part in ‘closing’ deals. Prince Harry also as given it a try, so maybe Kate can pick up some tips from them.