Women were duped into dating a Prince Harry lookalike on a US TV show.
A bevy of beauties were flown over to the UK as part of a new 'The Bachelor' style reality TV show called 'Dream Date', offering them the chance to become the 29-year-old British royal's latest squeeze.
However, the hunk in question was actually British environment worker Matt Hicks, who is a natural blonde and had to dye his hair ginger for the elaborate con.
The Sun newspaper reports the Palace knew nothing about the programme and the extreme lengths producers went to in order to convince the American girls the Harry clone was the real deal.
The show - produced by media mogul Ryan Seacrest, the man behind 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' - saw the excited girls staying at the plush Englefield House in Berkshire, which they were told had been lent to the royal heir in order to keep his search for a girlfriend secret.
Fake Harry was given an army of staff to wait on him hand and foot, a fleet of Range Rovers and a helicopter to whisk the girls off on dates.
When the excited winner was picked at the end of the show, the true identity of her prince charming was finally revealed.
The heartbroken hopefuls are out of luck since the real Prince Harry is currently dating 24-year-old socialite Cressida Bonas, who he is expected to marry.
Tagged in Prince Harry Ryan Seacrest