Queen lookalike sparks Shanghai surprise

A Queen lookalike sparked a Shanghai surprise when thousands of Chinese passers-by mistook her for the real thing.

The fake sovereign was hired for a tea party to give the Chinese city a taste of the diamond jubilee celebrations, reports Metro.

Shoppers were served English afternoon tea with cucumber sandwiches and cakes and were serenaded by a Beatles tribute band.

But it was the unannounced arrival of Queen impersonator Elizabeth Richard that sent people into a frenzy.

The lookalike, who has played the Queen in music videos for Sir Elton John and Blur, had hundreds scrabbling for their cameraphones.

The tea party was staged in Shanghai's Daning International Plaza by British Airways and the British Tourist Authority.

Mark Di-Toro, of VisitBritain, said: "The Chinese are enthusiastic about Britain's heritage and culture anyway.

"We had anticipated that a few hundred would attend but thousands of people ended up congregating as word spread about the Queen."