Charles has HK guessing if he's the royal thing

Tourists passing Government House yesterday were amazed to see that Prince Charles had apparently turned up early for the handover of Hong Kong.

The heir to the throne, scheduled to formally return Hong Kong to China on June 30, chatted with passers-by and posed for photographs. 'I've seen him in the newspapers. It's the English Queen's son,' said one tourist from Zhuhai.

In reality, impersonator Charles Haslett is here for a week's holiday. He decided to investigate some of the spots to be visited later by the real Prince Charles.

'The ears are the most difficult bit,' said Mr Haslett, 40, who uses modelling clay to make them protrude. His brochure boasts 'he even has the Royal Bald Patch'.

Although Mr Haslett's resemblance to Prince Charles, 48, was spotted when he was eight or nine, he only became a full-time impersonator three years ago, appearing in major British newspapers and at weddings, barmitzvahs, and corporate functions.

Hong Kong's lookalike industry is in its infancy compared with the UK's. Comedian Andrew Lam Man-chung uses a former RTHK sound man to impersonate Chief Executive-designate Tung Chee-hwa in his Headliner show.