The King of the United Kingdom, Charles, has risked further inflaming the ongoing dispute over the Elgin Marbles by wearing a tie featuring the Greek flag at the COP28 climate summit.
Royal fashion statement
Charles' choice of a blue-and-white tie raised eyebrows and drew attention to the contentious issue, while Chancellor Rishi Sunak denied any involvement in the escalating row.
King Charles wore a Greek flag tie to the COP28 summit as the row over the Elgin Marbles raged on
Following the cancelled meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis last week, Sunak stated, "The Marbles can't be returned. We've been unequivocal about that. And I think the British Museum's website itself says that in order for the loans to happen, the recipient needs to acknowledge the lawful ownership of the country that's lending the things. I think the Greeks have not suggested that they are in any way willing to do that. Our view and our position on that is crystal clear: the marbles were acquired legally at the time."
However, the situation took a more dramatic turn as Charles, whose late father Prince Philip had Greek heritage, addressed the COP28 summit in Dubai, wearing a tie adorned with the Greek flag.
Speculation on a possible resolution
The chairman of the British Museum and former Conservative Chancellor, George Osborne, added fuel to the fire by suggesting that there was a "fifty-fifty" chance of the Marbles being returned. Despite this, Downing Street has stated that there are no plans to change the law regarding the permanent return of the sculptures.
