William and Kate's wedding fund raises $1.6M for charity

(CBS/AP) LONDON - More than 1 million pounds ($1.6 million) has been donated to a gift fund set up by Prince William and the former Kate Middleton ahead of their wedding.

The Royal Wedding Charitable Gift Fund was set up so that anyone who wished to give the couple a wedding gift could instead make a donation to charities chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

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The figure includes direct donations to the chosen charities along with money raised from the sale of an official royal wedding CD and a donation made by Mario Testino's office from the sales of the photograph of the couple printed in their official wedding program.

Officials said Wednesday the money will be distributed to 26 charities chosen by the newlyweds, which were grouped into particular areas: 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.

Some of the charities are based in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, where William and Kate are making their first official overseas trip as a married couple next month.

The couple had requested that wedding guests and the public make donations to the fund rather than buy gifts.