The soap opera of the Parthenon marbles and King Charles' tie

Was it a casual choice or did you make it consciously? Did you choose the blue tie because it went well with the light suit or was there perhaps an ulterior reason? Did you want to pay tribute to your father Philip of Edinburgh, born in Corfu, or did you intend to send a coded message to the 'premier' Rishi Sunak for the controversial sit-in on Kyriakos Mitsotakis?

The fact is that the soap opera of the Parthenon marbles took an unexpected turn when King Charles III launched his harangue for “survival” on the planet at COP 28 with a tie with the flag of Greece, also purchased in Athens, specifically. in the store at Pagoni Maison de Cravates, according to the local press.

The 'City Times' of Greece interpreted it as “a gesture of support to our country for the controversy over the Parthenon sculptures and for Rishi's indecent decision to cancel the meeting with Mitsotakis during his visit to London”. The iefimerida.gr portal also interpreted it as an unequivocal sign of support for the Hellenic cause.

The British media also engaged in all kinds of speculation about the tie, and recalled that Queen Elizabeth II – despite her neutrality in political matters – did not hesitate to use the striking colors of her clothing to subliminally support political causes, such as when she stood out. with a blue hat at the time of certifying the United Kingdom's departure from the EU or when he appeared in a blue and yellow suit after the war in Ukraine.

The fact is that Charles III very visibly wore his blue tie until he shook hands with Sunak in Dubai, who posted the photo on his Twitter account, perhaps without noticing the detail of the Greek flag.. Despite all his efforts to relaunch his international image, the 'premier' does not take flight from the Parthenon sit-in, a gesture supported by only 12% of his compatriots.

Even the president of the British Museum, George Osborne, who had been cultivating a rapprochement with the Greek Government for months, has dared to openly criticize his prime minister and co-religionist: “Was it just out of petulance? Or a small attack of anger? “I think the reason was not because Mitsotakis was going to talk about the Parthenon marbles, but because he had met Keir Starmer the day before.”

In his own way, David Cameron also tried to undo the mess by summoning the Greek Foreign Minister, Giorgios Gerapetritis, in Brussels, the same day that Sunak slammed the door of Downing Street in Kyriakos Mitsotakis's face.. Analysts have interpreted it as a clear example of how Cameron seems determined to assume command of the Foreign Office at his own risk, as a counterpoint to his boss's international clumsiness.

The suspension of the controversial meeting came hours after the Greek prime minister declared on the BBC that having the Parthenon sculptures in London is “like cutting the Mona Lisa in two.”. Mitsotakis apparently broke the pact of silence on the issue that the British Government had demanded as a condition for the meeting between the two leaders.

“Our position is this clear: the marbles were acquired legally at the time,” Sunak declared from Dubai, persecuted there by the Greek issue.. “The British Museum's website makes it clear that for there to be a loan, there has to be prior recognition of who the legal owners are, and that is something the Greeks have not suggested they are willing to do.”

Stanley Johnson, father of Boris Johnson, has been the latest to launch into the controversy, recommending that the Parthenon sculptures finally return to Greece and remembering how Thomas Bruce, also known as Lord Elgin, took advantage of his connections with the Ottoman Empire to be able to obtain them. the sculptures at the beginning of the 19th century and “to be able to finance his very expensive divorce” by selling the pieces to the British Museum.