Lingerie company exploits Princess Diana's image

A CHINESE lingerie company provoked outrage yesterday after cynically exploiting Princess Diana’s image on the anniversary of her death.

By Richard Palmer Royal Correspondent, Royal Correspondent

A billboard displays a scantily dressed Princess Diana lookalike in China A billboard displays a scantily dressed Princess Diana lookalike in China

Adverts featuring a lookalike in “Diana underwear” were displayed on giant billboards in shops and airports across China.

The tiara-wearing model is dressed in only a pale blue bra and knickers as she plays a cello to a child.

The same model is also pictured in a blue chemise to promote the range, which carries the slogan: “Feel the romance of British royalty, Diana underwear”. Sam Chambers, a British expatriate, saw one of the adverts at Shenzhen airport in southern China. He said: “I saw it flash up on a rolling advertising screen and couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing.

“I thought ‘surely not’ because it was rolling quite quickly, so I waited to check when it came up again and, sure enough, there was an image of Diana.” The adverts are for lingerie manufactured by Jealousy International, a company based in the city of Foshan in the southern province of Guangdong.

They went on display as Diana’s family and admirers around the world remembered her on the 13th anniversary of her death.

Alan Berry, co-founder of the Diana Appreciation Society, which was set up to preserve her memory, said: “It does seem to be just blatant exploitation of a dead lady’s name. I feel a bit dismayed that a company has to resort to that sort of thing to sell its wares.”

In Britain, there are restrictions on using images of royalty to promote goods and services. But the authorities are powerless to act against firms abroad. Fans from Britain and around the world arrived at Kensington Palace yesterday to leave floral tributes, cards, and other messages on the railings outside Diana’s former London home.

Among them was Julie Cain, 46, from Newcastle upon Tyne, who had postponed a cancer operation so she could make the overnight trip on a coach.

“We’re here to defend her memory,” said Julie, who was living in a homeless hostel in Westminster when she met Diana. “She made me feel 10ft tall,” she said. Margaret Tyler, 66, from Wembley, north-west London, was one of many who make the annual trip to the palace to help perpetuate Diana’s memory.

“We won’t let her get swallowed up and forgotten,” she said. Diana’s sons, Princes William and Harry, marked the anniversary privately. But they are not her only living legacy. Her fans make regular donations to her favourite charities in her memory.

In addition, 30,000 young people have been presented with the Diana Award, which is given to those displaying the Princess’s compassion, commitment and selfless service towards others.

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