Hello Kitty, still cute at 50——from <经济学人> MOST HAVE to wait until their centenary to receive birthday wishes from the king of Britain. But King Charles III made an exception for “a self-made entrepreneur worth billions of dollars and a unicef children’s ambassador on top”. The monarch was feting a figure more recognisable than any billionaire or emissary: Hello Kitty, who turns 50 this year. The character was created by Shimizu Yuko, a Japanese illustrator, on November 1st 1974. Soon after, Kitty was appearing on an astounding array of trinkets. Today you can wear her face on your hands, with OPI fake nails, or your feet, in the form of Adidas trainers. You can wash yourself in a Hello Kitty shower and dry yourself with a Hello Kitty towel.