News
Prince Harry visits ICAP's London offices to help out with a festive charity day
10th December 2008
Prince Harry closed a £10 billion deal today as he visited a top City company holding a festive charity day.
The Prince was at ICAP's London offices for the global brokerage company's 16th annual charity day, on which it gives away all revenues and commissions.
Among the charities it supports is Sentebale, which The Prince co-founded, who aid orphans and needy children in the African country of Lesotho.
On arrival, Prince Harry was greeted by four receptionists dressed as pirates flanked by people dressed as Star Wars storm troopers.
Touring the packed floors of the offices near Liverpool Street, he faced more surreal scenes as staff had gone all out in devising fancy dress outfits for the day.
But the pressure could still be felt as the frenzied process of money-making continued around the Prince, who was hit the phones to see how it felt to close a deal.
Coached by excited brokers, Prince Harry spoke to traders across the City who had been pre-warned they might be speaking to a Royal broker.
John Herbert, ICAP's MD of foreign exchange and money markets, saw the Prince take part in a trade on the sterling desk.
"He did a '10 yard' trade - a £10billion sterling trade in something called a 'sonia', a sterling overnight index swap.
"He performed very well, although he was slightly nervous and in the previous five minutes he was heard to say 'I think I'm going to mess this up', three times."
Mr Herbert was wearing an elaborate Widow Twanky get-up, finished off with glittery pink eyelashes.
He laughed: "When I shook his hand, he looked me up and down and said 'that's absolutely wrong'."
Elsewhere, broker Amanda Hartnell talked Harry through the technical jargon needed to close a million-pound trade over the phone to a bank.
"It was fantastic," she said.
"He was friendly, very happy to speak to the customer and we couldn't have got that trade without him."
ICAP's charity days have so far raised more than £42 million for charity, raising £9.2 million last year alone.
As well as Sentebale, other charities supported included Refuge, which offers women and children practical help in escaping domestic violence, and the homelessness charity Shelter.
Prince William attended the charity day in 2006, while The Duke of York joined brokers the following year.