Wealthy Americans are paying up to USD 100,000 to dine with Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton at a New York fundraiser for the Scottish university where the royal couple first met as students.
When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge sweep up the steps of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art for a dinner next month, the 450 guests waiting to join them will be far richer than the food on offer.
The proceed's from the event will go to the St Andrews University and the total amount raised may well exceed the 1.5 million pounds, The Sunday Times reported.
Tickets for the invitation-only event on December 9 are almost sold out and Manhattan socialites are clamouring for the remaining spaces.
Olivier Sarkozy, half-brother of the former French president Nicolas, is expected to attend with his fiancee, the child star turned fashion designer Mary-Kate Olsen.
Stanislas de Quercize, chief executive of Cartier, is one of the organisers, along with the Citigroup chief executive, Michael Corbat and his wife.
Tycoons on the seating plan are likely to include Ron Pressman, a top executive from the American investment firm co-constructing the "Gotham City" skyscraper in London, and George David, former boss of United Technologies, the company that makes Black Hawk helicopters for the US military.
A glittering array of auction prizes have been assembled for an after-dinner sale, including a literary tour of Edinburgh with the author Ian Rankin, an overnight stay for four at Highclere Castle, the setting for the television series Downton Abbey and a round of golf at one of Jack Nicklaus's resorts, followed by lunch with the Golden Bear himself.
A guard of honour of St Andrews alumni wearing the university's distinctive red gowns will be formed on the steps of the museum for the arrival of the royals, the report said.
A drinks reception will be held in the museum's Great Hall before dinner is served in the Temple of Dendur, an Egyptian monument built for Emperor Augustus in honour of Isis, the goddess of nature, fertility and magic, and Osiris, the god of the afterlife.
To procure two VIP tickets for the event -- and stand a chance of brushing shoulders with royalty -- guests need to buy a table for 10 at a cost of USD 100,000.
Although St Andrews is ranked as one of Britain's best universities, it lacks the financial firepower of its international peers. The gala dinner is intended to increase donations to the university and raise its profile.
