First Princess Charlotte souvenirs on sale in Britain

[LONDON] The first souvenirs commemorating the birth of Princess Charlotte were rolling off the production lines on Wednesday, in a race to fill London tourist shops and meet online orders.

The family-run business "Prince William Pottery" in Liverpool, northwest England, began printing mugs as quick as possible to meet demand, working with existing designs from the birth of her older brother Prince George.

"To commemorate the birth of Princess Charlotte," the mugs read, showing a portrait of the baby's parents Prince William and his wife Kate surrounded by cherubs.

The reverse features a colourful crest and the date of the princess's birth on Saturday, reading "HRH Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, born 2nd May 2015".

Another model available from ceramic maker Emma Bridgewater reads "It's a princess" and "Hooray for Charlotte" on a cream mug surrounded by pink hearts and crowns.

The workshop hopes to produce about 800 pieces a day.

Royal memorabilia is expected to flood shops in mid-May when deliveries arrive from Asia - likely to include baby items, teapots, coins and tokens.

The Centre for Retail Research estimates that retail spending due to the birth of the little princess will amount to some £80 million (S$161 million) in Britain alone.

Queen Elizabeth II met her new great-granddaughter for the first time on Tuesday, visiting the three-day-old and her parents at Kensington Palace.

Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, who was born on Saturday, was named in tribute to the 89-year-old monarch as well as William's mother Diana, who died in a car crash in 1997.

AFP