13 years after her death, Chinese firm advertises new range of underwear using lookalikes

Diana's image used to sell lingerie

13 years after her death, Chinese firm advertises new range of underwear using lookalikesu00a0

Princess Diana would turn in her grave if she saw the images a Chinese lingerie firm have used to advertise a new range of Diana underwear.

The adverts, which appeared under the slogan Feel the Romance of British Royalty, featured a lookalike of the late Princess of Wales.

And to mark the anniversary of Diana's death on August 31, 1997 -- caused by a road accident in Paris, the
lingerie company unveiled the new range at Shenzhen airport in southern China.

While in Britain the date was marked by admirers leaving some 30 bouquets of flowers outside Kensington Palace, it was a contrasting scene in Shenzhen. The model posing as Diana is shown in her bra and knickers,as she casts her eyes down towards a young child.

Au00a0 British journalist who happened to see the images this morning was appalled. Sam Chambers said, "I was just going to collect my baggage from the carousel when I saw it flash up on a rolling advertising screen and couldn't quite believe what I was seeing."

Chambers, who is originally from Kent, but has worked in China for a decade, added, "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. It's all the more striking because today is the anniversary of her death."

The company which has produced the lingerie, Jealousy International is based in China's southern Guandong province. Its website has a further slogan: Free your mind, free your style.

The apparent attempt to exploit the princess's image is the latest example of how firms around the world have sought to capitalise on her popularity and glamour.

Clarence House, which represents Prince Charles, did not comment on the adverts.