William, Kate say no to wedding gifts
By IANSSunday, January 16, 2011
LONDON - They are different. Prince William, the second in line to the British throne, and Kate Middleton want to put their own stamp on their wedding day and will shun the traditional wedding list of lavish gifts. Instead, they will ask guests to donate to charity.
The couple will accept presents from close family members, but other guests will be asked to make a confidential charitable donation, reports dailymail.co.uk.
Most couples get 10 toasters, bedlinen or, at best, a washing machine. Royalty usually goes one better - with a racehorse topping the Queen and Prince Philip’s gift list, while Prince Charles and Diana received a $1 million gem-encrusted gold model of an Arab boat.
Courtiers Saturday confirmed that they are looking at the revolutionary scheme, which will raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for the chosen charities, yet to be decided.
“William and Kate have everything they need so they have decided that it might be nice to ask for charitable donations instead of presents,” a source said Saturday. “They have said this is their wish and the logistics are being looked into.”
The wedding will take place in the spring or summer of this year.
