All that glitters is not gold, and Chinese social media influencers are a widely discussed proof. Simply posing as “Middle Eastern princesses” doesn’t magically make one royal, and the ever-discerning netizens of China were quick to call the bluff. While the influencers certainly tried to look the part, even roping in “Middle Eastern princes” for their charade, the plan crumbled spectacularly when these regal personas were exposed as mere props to promote luxury lifestyle products.
As truth tends to prevail, the wannabe posh elite stumbled, fell flat, and saw their accounts banned on mainland social media platforms. Take Luo Jialin, for instance, a popular Douyin KOL (Key Opinion Leader) with 100,000 followers. She shared a video from a luxurious villa, dramatically announcing she was selling off “hundreds of millions in assets” in China at a loss, supposedly to “give back” to her fans. The irony? Her so-called royal offerings included “French perfume” and “British royal laundry detergent,” priced at less than 50 yuan ($7). Not exactly what one imagines gracing the shelves of a palace.
Viewers were quick to express skepticism. “Why are the prince and princess selling ordinary items instead of luxury goods?” one commented. Another female influencer, decked out in traditional Middle Eastern attire and posing beside her “Dubai prince” in a luxury car, spun an even more outrageous tale. Claiming she was divorcing her husband and liquidating assets, she ended up hawking treasures like 300 pairs of stockings priced at 6 yuan (less than $1) and over 1,000 orders of 2kg “British laundry detergent” at 6.99 yuan ($1) each.
The absurdity didn’t go unnoticed. According to a report by the state-run China Youth Daily, these influencers hired foreign actors to play the roles of princes and princesses while peddling low-quality products. Once exposed, their accounts were banned, and the questionable goods were yanked from the marketplace.
It’s no secret that Middle Eastern royalty, with their dazzling wealth and mystique, have long fascinated the world. But using their personas to flog cheap everyday items and somehow landing orders is a comedy goldmine in itself. For now, the influencers’ accounts are shut down, and their products are off the shelves. The exact penalties remain undisclosed, but the laughter at their expense is freely available.
