Playing for the Duke Of Westmister

Michael McIntyre has pocketed almost £40,000 for appearing at a birthday party for Britain's fourth richest man.

The Duke Of Westminster hired the comic and former Britain's Got Talent judge to perform a 40-minute routine at a party for his son – said to be a big fan – last night

And the 200-strong audience at the billionaire Duke's 11,000-acre estate, Eaton Hall, in Cheshire included Prince Harry.

The Duke - one of Britain's biggest landowners through his company Grosvenor Estates and worth an estimated £6.7billion - also hired hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks for the party, according to The Mail on Sunday.

A source told the paper: ‘The event was huge. None of the guests knew who was performing until the last moment to keep things a surprise.'

Although the £1,000-a-minute performance was lucrative for McIntyre, it is not too exaggerated compared to corporate rates. And the Duke seems relatively frugal, compared to fellow millionaires such as Roman Abramovich – who hired the Red Hot Chili Peppers for his new Year's bash for a reported £5million – or Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour, who paid Jay Z and Kanye West just under £4 million to play for his niece's 16th birthday.

McIntyre has previously spoken of his financial struggle while trying to make it as a comedian, racking up debts of £40,000, but he now owns a £3.2million home in Hampstead.

Published: 29 Jan 2012