Jim Parsons
Jim Parsons 'proposed to boyfriend'

The Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons, who recently acknowledged that he is gay, proposed to his partner.

American Idol
New American Idol crowned

The winner of season 11 of American Idol has been revealed, in a finale showdown that attracted a record-high number of votes. (Spoilers)

Royal wedding draws tacky souvenirs

2011-02-21 06:37
 
Royal comic book
 

London - Fancy a royal wedding condom? Or maybe a commemorative sickbag?

The April wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton has spawned a cottage industry of inappropriate souvenirs.

For ladies and gentlemen who wouldn't dare touch anything that hadn't personally been approved by the princely couple, the Royal Collection sells handmade tankards, plates and pill boxes in English fine bone china, complete with William and Middleton's entwined initials in gold and silver.

But online and in shops, entrepreneurs are cashing in on the inevitable popular backlash against royal wedding mania.

Most infamous are the royal wedding-themed condoms - an online sensation that featured prominently on the website of celebrity-obsessed OK! Magazine. William and Kate ashtrays allow smokers to rub their butts out on the faces of the royal couple.

Then there are the William and Kate "barf bags", made by Newcastle-based designer Lydia Leith. They feature a picture of the couple underneath the words "Throne Up".

Leith, 24, told The Associated Press that she wanted to go about "poking fun at a social occasion from one side or another".

"The sick bags aren't specifically political, or at least weren't made as a dig," she said in an e-mail. "I wanted to contribute to the tradition of what I see as very British humour."

A spokesperson for the Royal Collection said the royals had no control over the rash of unauthorised souvenirs.

- AP

Read more on:    kate middleton  |  prince william
Comment on this story
1 comment
Add your comment
Comment 0 characters remaining
 

Recent News

Sharon Stone is being sued by a former nanny who claims the Oscar-nominated actress insulted her heritage and fired her after discovering she had been paid overtime. Read More »

Anne Hathaway's fraudster ex-boyfriend Raffaello Follieri is about to be released from a US federal prison following a real-estate scam. Read More »

inside channel 24

There are new stories on the homepage. Click here to see them.