THIS week we found out that a pair of Elvis Presley’s soiled underpants are to be sold at auction and Prince Harry has been caught seemingly devoid of his.

The Elvis pants were worn beneath one of the King’s famous white jumpsuits during a performance in 1977.

Stained and unwashed, the light blue briefs are expected to fetch £10,000 when they go under the hammer in Stockport next month.

As I write this no one has come forward with Prince Harry’s missing underpants, but someone has made themselves a lot of money selling pictures of him without any on.

Now I can say, with a great deal of certainty, that I wouldn’t wish to own a pair of anyone’s soiled underpants. Not even a pair belonging to the evercharismatic Prince Harry (should he ever decide to wear any).

But in today’s celebrity-obsessed world it would seem nothing is out-ofbounds when it comes to making a quick buck from the famous.

Of course there’s nothing wrong with fans collecting memorabilia.

I admit I queued to get Alex Ferguson’s autograph when he visited Worcester and my husband once bought a Match of the Day script signed by Gary Lineker at a charity auction. He may have had a couple of beers, but I’ve kept it – just in case.

But soiled underwear. Really?

Harry’s naked party in a Las Vagas hotel room has prompted a lot of soulsearching questions about privacy, particularly in relation to the media.

There are many – at least 850 according the Press Complaints Commission – that believe what went on in Vegas should have stayed in Vegas, with Harry’s privacy and modesty intact.

There are others – including the person who sold the pictures within hours of them being taken – who seemingly think he’s fair game.

Interestingly, little criticism has been made against the person who readily partied with the Prince, but betrayed his hospitality and trust.

Perhaps because nowadays we no longer see anything wrong in lowering ourselves to auction off a pair of soiled underpants, as long as the person who wore them is ‘famous’.

No doubt whoever buys the pants will count themselves among Elvis’s biggest fans, but they have taken from him any ounce of dignity he may have had in a bid to own a part of him.

Presley died 35 years ago this month, on August 16, 1977. His death starved the world of probably the greatest entertainer to have ever lived. But he left behind a world so hungry for a piece of a celebrity like him that they’re willing to stop at nothing to get it.