Sunak deepened a diplomatic row with Athens on Wednesday by accusing Mitsotakis of “grandstanding” during a recent trip to London over ownership of the Parthenon sculptures. Sunak cancelled a planned meeting with Mitsotakis earlier in the week.
Diplomatic spat over Parthenon Marbles scuttles meeting of UK, Greek leaders
Diplomatic spat over Parthenon Marbles scuttles meeting of UK, Greek leaders
A Buckingham Palace source said on Friday that Charles also wore the same tie last week, before the escalation of the dispute. A spokesperson for Sunak declined to comment.
British media noted that, as well as the blue and white tie featuring the same white cross design as the Greek flag, Charles sported a blue and white handkerchief protruding from his jacket pocket.
“In a week when Rishi Sunak cancelled a meeting with the Greek Prime Minister to make a ‘stand’ over the #ParthenonMarbles #ElginMarbles … King Charles appears to have chosen to wear a very interesting tie when he met Mr Sunak in Dubai today,” ITV television’s royal editor Chris Ship said on social media platform X.
Greek media also pounced on the pictures, with daily newspaper Kathimerini writing: “Even though King Charles has not taken a stance on the issue, this move is seen by many analysts as an indirect form of support.”
Athens has long called on the British Museum to permanently return the 2,500-year-old sculptures that British diplomat Lord Elgin removed from the Parthenon temple in 1806. The museum has said it would consider a loan to Greece only if Athens acknowledges the museum’s ownership of the sculptures.