Company launches royal wedding souvenir condoms
Elspeth Lodge January 31, 2011 – 12:22 pm
Kate and William have already had to switch the order of their initials on royal commemorative china (W.C., for William and Catherine, was a little too close to “water closet,” or toilet). But even worse than loo-themed souvenirs? Royal wedding themed condoms.
Produced by Royal Jewels Condoms of Distinction, the products have the classy catchphrase: “Like a Royal Wedding, intercourse with a loved one is an unforgettable occasion.”
Hugh Pomfret, a spokesman from Crown Jewels Condoms of Distinction, said in a statement:
“Crown Jewels Royal Wedding Souvenir prophylactics are a unique way to remember this great British occasion. All at Crown Jewels have worked tirelessly to craft these heirloom quality love sheathes. In years to come, they will be a timeless memento of a magical wedding day.”
Poor taste aside, people who purchase the condoms should be sure to read the following disclaimer: “Crown Jewels Royal Wedding Souvenir Condoms are a novelty condom not suitable for contraception or protection against STDs.” Meaning a few more heirs — royal or otherwise — might soon emerge if consumers don’t read the fine print.
Posted in: Posted, World Tags: England, Kate Middleton, Prince William of Wales, Royal family, royal wedding
U.K. graphic designer creates royal wedding souvenir barf bags
weddingweb
Elspeth Lodge February 17, 2011 – 12:35 pm
Could all the hype about the April 29 royal wedding be making some a little queasy? A new souvenir royal wedding “sick bag” (as barf bags are more politely called in the U.K.) invites users to “keep this handy on April 29th 2011.”
Graphic designer Lydia Leith is selling the sacks from her design website for £3 a piece (just under $5). “The sick bags started as a joke that came up around the dinner table,” says Ms. Leith. “Being quite a fan of royal memorabilia I thought it would be a fun alternative thing to make.”
“I really hope that the public will see it as a quirky piece of British humour and for the best part it seems to be going down well,” Ms. Leith says. “A few people seem to think it’s a serious jibe at the monarch but it was only ever intended as a bit of fun. Truth be told, I’m a bit of a fan and have a fair bit of royal memorabilia myself — including the 1984 royal marriage pencil case which is sitting on my desk in front of me.”
The bags have proven very popular, with the first design already sold out.
Like many royal fans Ms.Leith intends to party with the monarchy on April 29: “It’s my first royal wedding and there’s going to be a street party back at my home town so I intend to go there on the day — I might even make some bunting!”
National Post
elodge@nationalpost.com
Royal recap: It’s a good week to be Kate Middleton
Reuters/Andrew Winning
Kate Bevan, a lookalike of Kate Middleton, the fiancee of Britain’s Prince William, poses for a photograph.
Elspeth Lodge January 28, 2011 – 1:44 pm
A look back at the royal week:
First royal engagement inspired art installation
Recently, a horde of women dressing up like Kate Middleton have taken streets of London by storm— many, are having their significant others dress-up like Prince William to join the fun.
But, what about the Ms. Middleton who has yet to find her Prince charming to play-along? American artist, Jennifer Rubell, has solved this dilemma with her new art instillation, known, simply, as “Engagement.”
The piece is a life-size wax statue of Prince William, posed as he was for his engagement photos with Ms. Middleton at James’s Palace—and, the statue is “complete” with a replica of Ms.Middleton’s sparkling sapphire engagement ring.
Princess hopefuls, do you want to grab the ring? Put it on? Well, you can, UKPA reports. Anyone envious of Ms. Middleton can slip the sparkling stone on her third-finger and strike and pose.
“The royal wedding is a Prince Charming fantasy that still seems to speak to women so I wanted to offer those women a chance to stand in Kate’s place. I hope it’s not just women who step up, though,” says Ms. Rubell.
Another unique, fun feature—there will be five blank pictures called “Drinking Paintings” with taps protruding out of them, set to offer guests cocktails associated with the royal family. Guests can sample rum, gin, Madeira wine, whiskey and sloe gin, says UKPA.
The model of the Prince was sculpted by French artist, Daniel Druet, and will be displayed in the front window of the gallery to entice in people into the gallery.
The installation is, allegedly, the first piece of art inspired by the royal engagement and will be open to the public next month at the Stephen Friedman Gallery in central London.
“When you turn the tap, alcohol comes out and you’re invited to help yourself to a drink and raise a glass to the happy couple. The idea is as people begin to use it, you will get leaks on the canvas and drips,” said a spokeswoman for the gallery to UKPA.
Casting call: one lucky Kate impostor can now impersonate Kate Middleton on live Television
Lifetime has announced that a royal love story is in the works, entitled, originally, Will and Kate.
The film is slated to “heir” the week before the April 29th wedding date.
” It [the film] chronicles the history of William and Kate, from the moment the two students met at Scotland’s prestigious University of St. Andrews, through the ups and downs of their nine-year courtship.” It will also chart the complications created “by social and Royal Family pressures, and intense global media attention surrounding their storybook nuptials,” said the movies makers in a statement, reports Time.
What do we know about the films cast?
- The studio has already cast new-comer Nico’s Evers Swindell as Prince William, who is known for his few appearances on television shows like NCIS: Los Angeles and Law & Order.
- Prince Charles to be played by Star Trek‘s Ben Cross.
- No one knows who will play Kate, but the rumour-mill is spreading around the little-known name Kate Bevan.
Kate Middleton gets voice over offer for London 2012 Cultural Olympiad’s Tate Movie Project
Now that Kate Middleton is officially engaged to Prince William all sorts of odd business offers are coming her way— the latest? Ms. Middleton has been asked by officials from the Tate Movie Project to “voice’ a cartoon character as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad— a festival of the arts that coincides with the Olympic Games in London in 2012, reports the Telegraph.
The Tate Project is a 27 minute film, entirely composed and drawn by 16,000 primary school children.
The children have compiled a short-list of celebrities who they want to take part in the film and now officials are extending the offers.
The Telegraph reports the project’s organizer, Jane Burton said 10 celebrities have been approached and all have accepted the offer to do voice overs for various characters.
Posted in: Posted, World Tags: Kate Middleton, London, Prince William of Wales, Royal family
Royal postage gets stamp of approval: Print Version
Elspeth Lodge, National Post, With Files From Sarah Boesveld · Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011
In an about-face from its initial plan to let Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding pass it by, Canada Post said Friday it will issue a stamp to celebrate the union, a move royal watchers are calling a victory.
Public outcry and a strong lobby from a core group of collectors and monarchists followed reports that Canada Post had no plans to commemorate the biggest royal wedding since Prince Charles and Diana wed in 1981.
The Crown corporation could not ignore the demands it was hearing, said Jim Phillips, director of stamp services at Canada Post.
“It made us take a look and say, ‘Wow, this is something that people want,’” he said. “We got the whole retail team on board … and designed two different versions of the stamp right away.”
In early January, Canada Post explained that it requires two years to plan, create and eventually issue a stamp, and that the royal engagement, announced last November, is too close to the April 29 wedding date for anything to be done. Canada Post also has a mandate to produce stamps that are distinctly Canadian and, while related through the country’s monarchist ties, the royal wedding isn’t exactly Canadian.
“Physically, I don’t even think we’d be able to do it,” Mr. Phillips said in an earlier interview.
Instead, Canada Post sped up the design process, which took only 10 days, and had two versions of the stamp approved by Canada Post’s board of directors on Feb. 3. The designs are in London, England, awaiting final approval from the royal family’s staff at Clarence House, one of the monarchy’s official residences. That process is expected to take a number of weeks.
“Our stamps are a reflection of who we are as a nation,” said Mary Traversy, senior vice-president of transaction mail, at Canada Post. “The Royal Wedding is one of those rare occasions that will touch us all and we are pleased that we will be able to offer our customers a memento of this event.”
The Monarchist League of Canada, one of the groups that has lobbied for production of a commemorative stamp, said it is thrilled by Canada Post’s change of heart.
“This is wonderful news,” said Robert Finch, the league’s dominion chairman.
“I think it goes to show that Canadians are very interested in the upcoming royal wedding … Not only is it a good opportunity to celebrate the rarity that is a royal wedding, it also makes good business sense,” Mr. Finch said.
Canadians will be able to find the stamps in post offices across the country on May 2, days after the highly anticipated nuptials take place in Westminster Abbey.
Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/Royal+postage+gets+stamp+approval/4230227/story.html#ixzz1D8aKzp9T
