Prince Harry makes £20,000 for charity in the City

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He may have proved a natural at sealing big-money deals to raise money for charity, but Prince Harry discovered there is one thing he will never share with City brokers - an Essex accent.

The Prince personally raised tens of thousands of pounds by persuading brokers to increase their bids for trades so that more money would go to good causes.

Although he struggled with the quick-fire City jargon used by brokers as they are trading with each other, the Prince used his natural charm to squeeze every extra penny out of them.

And, as one surprised broker said as he sealed a deal with the prince over the phone: "It's nice to have a broker that's not from Essex."

"We are all from Essex," explained ICAP broker Dennis Walton. "I'm from Brentwood."

The Prince was taking part in the ICAP Charity Day, when celebrities are invited to do trades on behalf of brokers and the commission for the whole day's trading goes to charity.


Charities benefiting from the day include England Rugby's All Schools Programme, of which Harry is patron.

Since its first Charity Day in 1993, ICAP, an inter-dealer broker, has raised more than £110 million worldwide.

ICAP Charity Day: City traders tell Prince Harry 'It's nice to have a broker that's not from Essex'



Prince Harry makes £20,000 for charity with just two phone calls as he takes part in ICAP's annual fundraising day



By Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter
03 Dec 2014
The Telegraph


World's financial capital: City of London


He may have proved a natural at sealing big-money deals to raise money for charity, but Prince Harry discovered there is one thing he will never share with City brokers - an Essex accent.

The Prince personally raised tens of thousands of pounds by persuading brokers to increase their bids for trades so that more money would go to good causes.

Although he struggled with the quick-fire City jargon used by brokers as they are trading with each other, the Prince used his natural charm to squeeze every extra penny out of them.

And, as one surprised broker said as he sealed a deal with the prince over the phone: "It's nice to have a broker that's not from Essex."

"We are all from Essex," explained ICAP broker Dennis Walton. "I'm from Brentwood."

The Prince was taking part in the ICAP Charity Day, when celebrities are invited to do trades on behalf of brokers and the commission for the whole day's trading goes to charity.

After one deal in which he was instructed by a broker to tell his counterpart on the other end of the phone: "Dec Jan barges BNP buys from BP 25kt plus 1/4 via ice block," the Prince said: "Are you taking the mick? You are making up your own dictionary of words. I have never heard so much rubbish in my life."

At the gilts desk, a broker was about to close a £25 million deal when the Prince grabbed the phone from him, saying "Give us that phone" and told the seller on the other end: "Come on, let's squeeze it up a little bit more." A few seconds later he had closed a deal for £30 million.

Alexander Blayney, the broker who found himself upstaged, said: "My seller was finished selling. He snatched the phone off me and forced him to give some more for charity. He is a better broker than me, put it that way. It was class. Natural talent."


Prince Harry closing a deal as he takes part in the 22nd annual ICAP Charity Day


On the interest rate swaps desk he did not fare quite so well. After attempting to push up a deal from €200 million to €300 million, he had to settle for €250 million when the person on the other end of the phone proved harder to budge. "I'm sorry, he's French," said the Prince as he put down the phone.

"He did fantastically well," said Mr Walton. "It's not easy picking up the terminology, which can be confusing. But just by taking two phone calls he made £20,000 for charity."

On the Forward Euro desk, the Prince even negotiated a whole deal himself, talking into two phones at once. "He did better than us," said broker Nigel Burwash. "We might have to employ him."

At one point the Prince bumped into the actor Damian Lewis. "I see another ginger!" said the Prince.

Lewis retorted: "What's it like being the second most famous redhead?"

Charities benefiting from the day include England Rugby's All Schools Programme, of which Harry is patron.

Since its first Charity Day in 1993, ICAP, an inter-dealer broker, has raised more than £110 million worldwide.

ICAP Charity Day: City traders tell Prince Harry 'It's nice to have a broker that's not from Essex' - Telegraph