The Duchess of Cambridge has been portrayed as a workshy gold-digger in a bizarre video promoting Chinese tourism.
The two-minute clip — which stars lookalikes playing Catherine, Prince William and the Queen — has caused outrage in the UK for its unashamed mockery of the royal family.
The Queen is lampooned as a doddery, forgetful old fool, while William is ridiculed for being a doormat.
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Ironically it is Catherine — the most widely beloved member of the royal family — who receives the worst treatment.
As the trio of actors stand outside Buckingham Palace waiting for a taxi, Catherine lookalike Colette Mularkey is seen rolling her eyes and complaining that she “didn’t marry royalty to schlep around in a taxi”.
Later in the video, the “Queen” makes a cutting remark about “Catherine” being workshy.
After William lookalike Simon Watkinson tells his wife that “commoners” expect royals to tighten their belts, Catherine replies: “Rubbish. People want to see that they can be like us if they just work hard.”
At this, Queen lookalike Amanda Bellamy scoffs: “Like you did?”
The comment is in reference to the belief that Catherine should have worked harder prior to her marriage to William. Before she became the nation’s darling the duchess was frequently criticised for not having a “proper job”.
She worked as an assistant fashion buyer for retail chain Jigsaw, before quitting to work part-time for her parent’s party supplies business Party Pieces.
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The royal family has not commented on the video but a spokesman for its creators, the Chengdu Association, said it was just “harmless fun”.
The Chengdu Association made the clip to promote its fleet of 50 London taxis painted with pictures of pandas to promote Chengdu, the homeland of the giant panda.
Your say: Do you think the clip is funny or in poor taste?
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