Napoleon Bonaparte: St Helena seeks impersonator for bicentenary

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A drawing of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte
Image caption,

Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to St Helena following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo

Aspiring Napoleon Bonaparte impersonators have been urged to apply for a position on the British Overseas Territory of St Helena, where the famed French emperor spent his final years.

Tourism officials on the island, located in the South Atlantic, say they are looking for a male with "the ability to engage with individuals at all levels, especially dignitaries".

As part of the application process, they must try on a custom-made suit.

Napoleon died on the island in 1821.

Napoleon, who served as a military general and emperor of France, was exiled to St Helena following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Media caption,

There were 6,000 people who volunteered to recreate and commemorate the battle

St Helena's tourist board said it was looking for a "well presented" male, who would be available for events through to 2021 - the anniversary of Napoleon's death - to fill the role.

Prospective candidates have until 27 September to apply, with the first appearance scheduled to take place in mid-October.

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  • Australian tourist officials posted an advert for the "best job in the world" in 2009. They offered to pay £70,000 for a "caretaker" to live on Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef. Interest in the job was so high, the website hosting the advert crashed.

  • The China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center required a different kind of caretaker in 2014. The job description: spend 365 days with the pandas "sharing in their joys and sorrows". With a salary of $32,000 (£26,000) a year, free meals and accommodation, the perks weren't bad either.

The advert for the position says the chosen impersonator will act as an ambassador for St Helena.

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It is reportedly an unpaid, voluntary position, aimed at residents of the island.

Napoleon was born in 1769 on the French island of Corsica. He was an army commander before becoming emperor and is widely remembered for his military conquests in Europe.