It’s no joke being homeless, says ‘Vogue reader’ in Princess’s photo
A HOMELESS woman mocked by a German princess hit back yesterday, saying her life on the streets of Paris is ‘no joke’.
Maryse Dumas, had been photographed reading a copy of Vogue magazine by its style editor, Princess Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis.
The fashion writer posted her picture on Instagram with the caption: ‘Paris is full of surprises and @VogueMagazine readers even in unexpected corners!’
But Miss Dumas, 65, said: ‘It’s not nice taking pictures of people living on the street, that’s not polite. It’s no joke being destitute … Look at me surrounded by all this rubbish – it’s ugly.
‘It’s hard living on the street. It’s cold at night and if you can’t sleep you get ill. My legs hurt and I’m losing my teeth.’
Sitting on a pavement among plastic bags, cardboard boxes and suitcases, Miss Dumas spends her days drawing. She said: ‘I liked that Vogue magazine because of the colours. But I don’t have it any more.’
A spokesman for homeless charity Emmaus told MailOnline: ‘Maryse has been living on the streets for a long time. She is bit confused but she is friendly. We do our best for her and we know her well.’ Miss Dumas added: ‘I’m always here. Other people on the street leave their stuff with me to look after.
‘I live in Paris now but I don’t know where I grew up.
‘I know I’m not married and that I don’t have any children but I don’t know if my parents are still alive. I’m all alone.’
She said she makes ends meet with the handouts she receives from passersby.
‘They are not my friends, just people who walk past and take pity on me,’ she added. ‘I get help from charities as well, like Emmaus. They look out for me.’ Princess Elisabeth’s photo received a barrage of criticism, with Instagram users describing it as ‘cruel’ and ‘tasteless’.
Miss Dumas’s existence is a far cry from the luxurious lifestyle of the editor, who had travelled firstclass by Eurostar to Paris fashion week.
The 32yearold – born into one of Germany’s wealthiest families, in their 8thcentury 500room castle – deleted her Instagram post on Sunday after she was accused of being ‘out of touch’. She wrote: ‘I want to extend my sincerest apologies for the offense [sic] my post has caused.’
But yesterday, when the princess was back in Paris for a Giambattista Valli catwalk show, Miss Dumas said: ‘No one has said sorry to me.’