( CNN ) Prince William arrived in Beijing on Sunday -- the first visit to China by a senior member of the British Royal Family in three decades -- and he might have been expecting a dose of culture shock . But chances are he 'll feel right at home . From television shows and etiquette lessons to private schools and mock Tudor housing developments , China has been embracing British culture with a passion . Chinese viewers are captivated in their millions by shows like `` Sherlock Holmes '' and `` Downton Abbey , '' with the former 's star , Benedict Cumberbatch , so popular he has his own Chinese nickname -- Curly Blessing . The fascination with Edwardian England depicted in Downton has created a growing demand for butlers , and the country 's elite are donning tweeds and taking up deer stalking . `` Downton Abbey depicts traditional British , high-class lives . It something that I and many other Chinese are curious about , '' said student Cherrie Zhang . It 's not just television shows . Affluent Chinese parents are sending their children to British schools after some of the most notable names in British education have established campuses in China . Harrow , Wellington College and Dulwich College have all opened sister schools in the country . And the obsession with British culture has taken a bizarre turn in Thames Town , a housing development on the outskirts of Shanghai that resembles a quaint English town , complete with replica red telephone booths . It 's crucial that Prince William capitalizes on these cultural ties during his high-profile visit , which is being viewed as the first real test of his diplomatic skills . `` It will tell us something about how he will handle one of the most important diplomatic relationships when he comes to throne , '' said Kerry Brown , a professor of Chinese politics at the University of Sydney and a former British diplomat . `` And I think China will put some capital in his visit because this guy is not a politician , who come and go , but ( someone who ) will be around for quite a while . '' Cultural exports are viewed as a growth area that the prince can promote . China spent 17 million pounds on UK TV programs and formats in 2013 , a 40 % increase on the year before , but they form a small part of the overall trade balance . And while London has been successful in attracting Chinese investment , UK companies have not thrived in China the same way as some of their U.S. and German counterparts . Previous trips by Royals have been gaffe ridden . When the Queen and Prince Philip spent time in China in 1986 , the Queen 's husband caused offense when he told a group of British students : `` If you stay here much longer , you 'll all be slitty-eyed . '' Prince Charles , William 's father , has never visited China but described the country 's leaders as `` appalling old waxworks '' during his visit to Hong Kong in 1997 . His close ties with the Dalai Lama , Tibet 's spiritual leader , have also angered China 's leaders . Prince William will visit Beijing 's Forbidden City , attend the Chinese premiere of the British-produced children 's animated movie `` Paddington '' in Shanghai and launch a campaign to celebrate British innovation during the three-day trip . Before China , he is spending three days in Japan . The prince will also get a chance to champion one of his favorite causes -- combating the illegal trade in wildlife -- when he visits an elephant sanctuary in southwestern China . `` If he can make some kind of link in China , if he can instinctively show he gets it , that could be an important thing , '' Brown said . But the relationship between the UK and China comes laden with `` stacks of historic baggage , '' Brown adds , and the prince will have to tread carefully , particularly over the former colony of Hong Kong , where the push for a free vote has strained ties between Britain and China , the current landlords . British lawmakers were denied permission to visit the city on a `` fact-finding '' mission last year amid heated pro-democracy protests . What 's more , it 's not clear how much `` star power '' Prince William has in China , especially without his glamorous wife Kate , who at eight months pregnant wo n't make the trip , and his young son George . An informal survey conducted by the UK 's Telegraph newspaper in Beijing showed that many struggled to recognize the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge -- one thought the couple were in the movie `` Titanic '' -- and there are fears his visit will struggle to attract interest among ordinary Chinese . `` The Royal Family are not really a big deal to me , '' said Zhang , the Downton Abbey fan . Serena Dong in Beijing contributed to this report .
Prince William arrives in China on Sunday after visiting Japan . China has embraced British culture , especially TV shows like Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes.