Duchess Kate mocked as gold-digger by Chinese tourism chiefs

London, July 1 (ANI): Chinese tourism chiefs have sparked outrage after mocking the Duchess of Cambridge as a gold-digger in a promotional video.

Lookalikes play Kate, Prince William and the Queen in the controversial film made by Chengdu city officials, the Daily Express reported.

The royals are shown trying to take a taxi to the Diamond Jubilee celebrations after the Queen insists they save money.

Kate lookalike Colette Mularkey screeches: "I just don't understand why we cannot take the royal limo. I didn't marry royalty to schlep around in a taxi."

William lookalike Simon Watkinson protests: "But darling, granny is right. The commoners want to see us tightening our belts and all that."

Hands on her hips, Kate complains: "Rubbish, people want to see that they can be like us if they just work hard".

At this, the Queen's lookalike Amanda Bellamy fixes her with a withering look and scoffs: "Like you did?"

William interjects: "Now, now granny, we all know that it was I who fell for Kate."

Kate replies: "That's right, I didn't even fancy him at first. Don't you remember? You had to practically beg me for my phone number."

The two-minute clip was filmed in Greenwich, south-east London, for the Chengdu Association for Cultural Exchange with Foreign Countries.

Having established a world renowned breeding and research base for giant pandas, Chengdu now attracts almost 100,000 visitors each year. To boost numbers, the association paid for a fleet of 50 London black cabs to be painted with pictures of pandas and the video publicises "panda cabs".

A Chengdu Association spokesman insisted the ad, running on social networking sites, was harmless "fun" but outraged Britons condemned it online.

Janet Steele wrote: "I think this is disgraceful, where is the harmless fun in mocking such lovely people?"

Keith Harrison stated: "Hmm, the same nation that believes dried, ground tiger penis to be a medicine has the right to ridicule our monarchy?

"Only WE are allowed to ridicule our monarchy! And the Queen deserves more respect than this!"

Now one of the world's most popular figures following the huge success of the Royal Wedding, Kate faced criticism while she was dating William for not having a full-time job.

She worked for the High Street chain Jigsaw for less than a year before leaving in 2007 to join the Middleton family's mail order business, Party Pieces, where she worked three days a week. (ANI)