King Charles Wears Greek Flag Tie as He Meets Rishi Sunak

King Charles was recently seen wearing a Greek flag tie at the COP28 summit in Dubai. The gesture comes amid recent disagreements between British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis over the Parthenon Sculptures.

King Charles, in addition to his tie, also wore a matching handkerchief when delivering a speech to the summit’s delegates from around the world. The King’s tie is thought to be crafted by Pagoni Maison des Cravates in Athens.

King Charles wore a tie with the Greek flag in his meeting with Sunak 😂 pic.twitter.com/Q23fKrOfAB

— Marcos Moschovidis (EU FOR YOU) (@Moschovidis) December 1, 2023

Dispute Over Parthenon Sculptures

The gesture followed a high-profile diplomatic spat between Athens and the Downing Street over the Elgin Marbles, also known as the Parthenon sculptures. Sunak accused Greece of “grandstanding” on the Parthenon sculptures issue during a recent diplomatic row and a last-minute meeting cancelation with Mitsotakis.

Downing Street asserted that the Greek Prime Minister had breached an agreement not to revisit the matter. “It was clear that the purpose of the meeting was not to discuss substantive issues for the future, but rather to grandstand and re-litigate issues of the past,” claimed Sunak.

On Friday, the UK Prime Minister rejected an accusation made by the British Museum chair George Osborne that he threw a “hissy fit” over the artifacts.

King Charles, whose late father, Prince Philip, was from Greece, is believed to have subtly conveyed “an obvious message” with this gesture, which both Greek and British media interpreted as potential support for Greece’s position on these cultural artifacts.

At the summit, King Charles’ speech was devoted to the environmental agenda with a focus on urgent climate action. The monarch’s remarks underscored the peril to the world’s economy and survivability without prompt measures. Environmentalists reportedly observed a stark contrast between the King’s dire warnings and Sunak’s criticized policy reversals on green initiatives.

UK Royal Family’s Clothing Choices as Possible Diplomatic Language

Members of the UK royal family have previously faced accusations of subtly endorsing diplomatic positions through their clothing choices.

During the State Opening of Parliament in 2017, Queen Elizabeth II’s decision to wear a blue hat with yellow flowers sparked speculation of her expressing tacit support for the European Union. However, Angela Kelly, the Queen’s longstanding dresser, refuted these claims in her book, asserting that the choice of attire was purely coincidental.

Additionally, Queen Elizabeth II seemingly signaled support for Ukraine by donning a yellow outfit with a blue flower during the official opening of the Elizabeth Line in May of the previous year.