Right old pain for souvenir makers

LONDON: It’s a royal bonanza – but for Britain’s souvenir makers, also a royal headache.

The upcoming birth of the first child of Prince William and his wife Kate is a golden opportunity that comes with a mystery – the baby’s name and gender.

It all means that, while merchants have known for months that the future heir to the throne is due in mid-July, they’ll be sent into a mad dash to create, or at least put finishing touches to, royal baby memorabilia.

Sophie Allport, a designer of fine bone china, is one manufacturer waiting for the future monarch’s name to send her commercial plans into motion.

She has thousands of pre-orders for handcrafted commemorative mugs, but can’t fill them until the baby’s name can be etched on the rims.

She’s as ready as she can possibly be – having prepared blue and pink designs, depending on whether it’s a prince or princess.

“We’ve never done something like this, so I hope it works.”

Allport’s designs, once written, will be scanned, mailed or even driven by courier to the city of Stoke-on-Trent, the centre of Britain’s ceramic industry.

Be it Alexandra, George or Elizabeth, or any of the other names touted as possibilities, Stoke-on-Trent’s workers will apply Allport’s designs to 10 000 mugs, which then will be fired in huge kilns and finished with a ceramic glaze. – Sapa-AP