ROME – The past year has seen a dramatic increase in sales of British memorabilia among the expat community, according to online supermarket British Corner Shop.

Reasons for the surge have been attributed to the Olympics, Wimbledon and the royal birth, all of which seem to have encouraged Britons living overseas to buy increasing amounts of memorabilia online to prove their patriotism.

Perceptions of the Royal Family have come a long way following the death of Diana, a change largely attributed to the Duchess of Cambridge who is widely seen to be more accessible than the other Windsors, as well as better dressed.

It seems that the recent sporting triumphs of Team GB – in the Tour de France, in the London Olympics and at Wimbledon – have provoked a surge of national pride in a country famed for its self-deprecation and historically wary of patriotism.

This increased enthusiasm has been particularly marked in the expat community. Mark Callaghan, Managing Director of British Corner Shop, commented, “Since last summer we have seen a much higher demand for British memorabilia, such as Union Jack key rings and Diamond Jubilee mugs and tea towels.”

“We do have customers from the UK who buy these types of products, but it seems that perhaps people abroad have a greater desire to let people know they are British and proud of it.”

The British Corner Shop has an entire section on the site dedicated to British gifts, including a Big Ben teapot and Union Jack bunting.

Callaghan adds, “With the birth of William and Kate’s baby we’re confident we’ll see an even bigger increase in sales of our royal memorabilia over the coming months, as the world begins to celebrate yet another special British event.”