A relative of the late Queen Mother has scooped almost £40million after selling his deodorant brand Wild.
Unilever bought the company in a deal reportedly worth £230million, valuing the 17 per cent stake held by Charlie Bowes-Lyon at £39.1million.
Bowes-Lyon, 35 – a first cousin three times removed of the Queen Mother – set up Wild in April 2020 with his best friend Freddy Ward, 36, who he went to school with in Dunbar, Scotland.
Ward, who previously worked for meal delivery firm Hello Fresh, netted some £62million from the sale for his 26.9 per cent stake.
Wild claims its plant-based products are better for you than typical brands using aluminium.
The deodorants, which cost from £12, come in plastic-free cases that need refills. Wild, which is sold in Boots, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Ocado, made £47million sales and £509,000 profits in 2023, according to its most recently filed accounts.
Sweet smell of success: Charlie Bowes-Lyon (left) and best-friend Freddy Ward sold their deodorant firm Wild to Unilever in a deal reportedly worth £230m
DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS
Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence.