King Charles III met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Buckingham Palace in a half hour private meeting on October 25th.
During their meeting, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew once again expressed his condolences for the death of the King’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The Patriarch sent his best wishes and prayers on behalf of the Mother Church for a successful and fruitful reign.
He also mentioned the centenary anniversary celebrations of the Holy Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain, as well as other topics of mutual interest, according to Ecumenical Patriarchate.
At the end of their meeting, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presented the honored members of the Patriarchal delegation. Those included, their Eminences Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, Metropolitan Theodoritos of Laodicea, and Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium.
Present at the encounter were also His Excellency Ioannis Raptakis, Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to the United Kingdom and His Excellency Matthew Lodge, His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic.
King Charles III: “We are all Greeks”
In a previous visit to Greece in 2018, Charles hailed the traditionally close ties between the UK and Greece and highlighted Greece’s role in the world by saying, “We are all Greeks. Our laws, our literature, our religion, our arts have their root in Greece,” he said.
During his visit, Charles met with the head of Greece’s Orthodox Church, Archbishop Ieronymos, recalling that he had visited Mount Athos and its monasteries multiple times. “And having done this, I have gained a special appreciation for the traditions of the Orthodox Church.”
He also spoke in appreciation of the Orthodox Church’s charitable work to “help the people in Greece who are in need at this time.”
“I am very impressed about the way you meet the needs of these people, whether they come from Greece or other countries,” said the King in reference to the Church’s work among refugees and migrants.
A staunch Philhellene on the British throne
During King Charles’ visit in March 2021, when he attended celebrations for the bicentenary of the Greek War of Independence, he spoke about the importance of Greece in western civilization.
“As the wellspring of Western civilization, Greece’s spirit runs through our societies and our democracies. Without her, our laws, our art, our way of life, would never have flourished as they have.”
King Charles III does not only admire Greece from afar, but has an instant connection with the country. His grandfather, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, was born at Tatoi Palace, on the outskirts of Athens in 1882.
His father, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was born on the island of Corfu, at Mon Repos Palace, in 1921.
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