Duchess of Cornwall closes £5bn deal in City global charity event

THE Duchess of Cornwall yesterday closed a £5bn deal in the City as part of a global charity event expected to raise millions.

The ICAP 19th annual global charity day saw Camilla and celebrities including Lewis Hamilton, Rod Stewart and Rupert Everett join hundreds of brokers sporting fancy dress to raise funds for more than 200 charities.

The £5 billion deal was a “five yard” sterling interest rate swap, facilitated by brokers dressed as beefeaters, and one of several huge deals closed by Camilla as she moved from desk to desk.

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The interdealer broker ICAP expects to raise millions for charities including Maggie’s, a cancer charity of which the Duchess is president.

All ICAP’s revenues and commissions from yesterday’s trading will go to a number of charities around the world. Negotiating with clients by phone, and at one point holding two at once, Camilla did deals including the sale of Dutch bonds. “It is another language,” she remarked.

At the fuel oil desk, where brokers dressed as sheikhs or wore Middle Eastern robes, she said: “I shall do my best.”

A nod and the word “Done!” and the 18.5 million dollar deal was completed – to applause and cheers from the desk.

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At the Tanker Futures desk, the Duchess was joined by actor Rupert Everett.

Broker Mark Nicholls, dressed as a clown, helped Camilla relay the details of a Hedging order to Rupert, who closed the £3.2 million deal.

The Duchess also completed a 150 million euros deal gazing into the mouth of a wolf – broker Simon Bond – who guided her through the deal.

Most of her deals were completed with a smile and the words “Thank you very much, and happy Christmas.”

The annual global ICAP charity day has raised more than £76 million since it started in 1993.

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