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King Charles III

King Charles causes a heated royal debate – with his tie

The King has given a nod to his father’s royal ancestors with a rather unusual style pick.

His Majesty was spotted in a tie covered in the Greek flag as he gave a keynote speech at the COP28 summit in Dubai.

He was addressing world leaders in one of the biggest speeches of his reign so far.

King Charles is, of course, descended from the Greek royal family on his father’s side. His great grandfathers include King George I of Greece, who reigned from 1863 until 1913.

However, some commentators questioned whether there was a political motivation behind it. The UK and Greece have recently been involved in a fresh debate about the Elgin Marbles which were taken from Athens in the 19th century. They were part of the Parthenon until their removal. Some of the same sculpture remains at the Parthenon.

The Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said having some of the art in London and some in Athens was like splitting the Mona Lisa. Greece has long demanded the return of the Marbles.

However, UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, cancelled a meeting with Mr Mitsotakis.

The King and the Prime Minister met at the opening session of COP28 but there was no discussion of the tie.

During his speech, The King said ‘’The Earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth.”

And he urged everyone present to work together to find solutions for climate issues, saying ”change will come by working together and making it easier to embrace decisions that will sustain our world, rather than carrying on as though there are no limits – or as though our actions have no consequences.”

About author

Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.