King Charles’ Greek flag tie raises eyebrows amid Elgin Marbles spat

Dubai: King Charles III sported a tie emblazoned with the Greek flag while meeting Rishi Sunak in Dubai – just days after the UK prime minister was embroiled in a diplomatic spat with Greece.

The monarch matched the blue-and-white tie with a pocket square in Greek colours while attending international climate talks on Friday.

Sending a message? King Charles III sported a tie with a motif of the Greek flag during the opening ceremony of the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai.Credit: AP (Peter Dejong/Rafiq Maqbool)

Earlier this week, Sunak abruptly cancelled a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis after his counterpart repeated calls for the Parthenon sculptures – known in Britain as the Elgin Marbles – to be returned to Athens.

Two centuries after they were taken from the ruins of the Parthenon by Lord Elgin, the treasures are considered among the greatest in the British Museum.

Housed in a dedicated room, the sculptures of Olympian gods and goddesses, and centaurs and warriors, are unmatched examples of the artistry and ambition of 5th century BC Athens.

Disagreement over ownership of the sculptures has been a long-running feud between the countries.

It was unclear whether the King, whose late father, Prince Philip, was born into the Greek royal family, was trying to make any statements. “The tie His Majesty was wearing today is simply one of his current collection,” a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace told Bloomberg.

He wore the same tie when South Korean President Yook Suk Yeol visited London last week. The accessory was made by Athens-based necktie maker Pagoni, according to an article in Greek City Times.

While Charles is constitutionally obligated to avoid politics, he has been a longstanding environmentalist. That could put him at odds with Sunak’s recent policy announcements easing the pace of Britain’s transition to green energy.

An unnamed Greek official said the country has “turned the page”.Credit: AFP

The dangers of climate change “are no longer distant risks,” the King said in his speech at the opening of the COP28 summit.

“Surely real action is required to stem the growing toll of its most vulnerable victims,” he added.

Bloomberg

Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here.