Prince Charles and Camilla help raise £900,000 at star-studded charity gala

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall attended the annual gala dinner for supporters and ambassadors of The British Asian Trust at Natural History Museum on 2 February. The royal couple helped raise £900,000 ($1.3m) towards the charity at the star-studded event.

Richard Hawkes, chief executive of the organisation, said the amount was the highest ever raised. "It's the morning after the night before....still amazed that we raised £900k at our Royal dinner last night!," he wrote on Twitter, adding that the gala was the most successful fundraising evening ever.

The British Asian Trust, the UK's leading organisation for British Asian philanthropy, was founded by Charles in 2007. It works to empower disadvantaged people in South Asia and transform their lives.

The Prince of Wales commended the trust's works in his speech at the night gala. "In the past year, my Trust has continued its efforts in four key areas – education, livelihoods, mental health, and anti-trafficking. These issues can throw up things that are uncomfortable and sometimes even taboo, so I am particularly proud that my Trust does not shy away from them and contributes, in its own way, to resolving some of the most difficult issues of our time," Prince Charles said, according to Clarence House.

The evening brought together a wealth of celebrities from the world of film, TV, music and sports. As many as 450 elite guests attended the dinner hosted by British TV star Sanjeev Bhaskar.

Among the stars in reception was Simon Cowell, director Gurinder Chadha, actress Myra Syal, Burberry model Neelam Gill and singers Leona Lewis and Labyrinth. To add to the star-filled gala's glitz, was a performance by Lewis.

The Duchess of Cornwall put one of her most glamorous feet forward at the event by donning a midnight blue lace gown with intricate embellishment. She completed her look with a dazzling diamond necklace and earring set and wrapped herself in a warm black shawl.