Royal wedding: charitable gifts, not presents

Royal officials say Prince William and Kate Middleton are asking for charitable donations in lieu of wedding gifts to celebrate their April 29 marriage.

The palace says that, “touched by the goodwill shown them,” the couple has selected 26 charities with particular resonance for them to benefit from a special charity gift fund.

The charities — including some based in Canada, Australia and New Zealand — represent a broad swath of issues, from support for army widows to local community foundations and the arts.

Anyone wishing to donate can go to a website and pick a beneficiary. The funds will be held in a dedicated account and grants will be distributed in partnership with the charities for maximum impact, the palace added.