Gifts

Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton have set up a charitable gift fund for those who very generously may wish to donate to charity to help the couple celebrate their wedding.

Having been touched by the goodwill shown them since the announcement of their engagement, Prince William and Miss Middleton have asked that anyone who might wish to give them a wedding gift consider giving instead to a charitable fund.

Donations can be made through the website www.royalweddingcharityfund.org which includes a full list of the charities to benefit, personally chosen by Prince William and Miss Middleton.

Many of the charities are little known, without existing Royal Patronage, and undertake excellent work within specific communities. They are charities that have a particular resonance with Prince William and Miss Middleton and reflect issues in which the couple have been particularly interested in their lives to date. The issues are also ones where Prince William and Miss Middleton feel that maximum impact can be achieved through this support.

The charities are grouped into particular areas, depending on the work they do, and individuals can donate to the group they particularly wish to support. The areas are: Changing Lives through Arts and Sport; Children Fulfilling Their Potential; Help and Care at Home; Support for Service Personnel and Their Families; and Conservation for Future Generations.

The 26 charities include some based in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, to reflect the couple's close ties to and affection for the three countries following visits by Prince William in the past.

Donations, via the website, are possible in six currencies. Donations can also be made by telephone, by text message or by sending a cheque. The donations will be held in a dedicated account by the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry and grants will be distributed in partnership with the benefitting charities to ensure maximum impact.

The website is hosted by BT, which is also providing the online, telephone and text services as well as the processing platform for charitable donations. The site was designed and built by GGMR. It will remain open for a short while after the wedding. All major mobile operators have waived fees for processing donations.

Donations may be received via the website, via text message to the short code 70294, and via telephone by calling 0300 123 2904. Cheques can also be sent to The Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund, c/o St. James's Palace, London SW1A 1BS.