“I am so pleased to be able to welcome you all to St James’s Palace this afternoon,” said Prince Charles, in perfect Greek, at an event by the Prince’s Trust International held in London last week for Greek students and business people. We posted the story on Facebook, and here’s what our readers had to say.
Elena Barba Charles is not Greek. The royal family was installed after Greece gained its independence from the Ottomans. It was a branch of the House of Glücksburg, the first king was in fact Danish, George I.
Charles has a definite spiritual connection with Greece most probably through his mother, Princess Alice (German). She converted to Orthodoxy in 1928. She remained in Athens during WWII helping those in need via the Red Cross. The rest you can investigate yourselves.
Patti Korkidas Elena Barba I think you’re getting Charles mixed up with Phillip there. Chucky’s mum is QE2.
Γιαννης Καστανιδης His father, Phillip, I think,was born in Corfu
Anna Hathis Elena Barba Phillip, he is NOT Greek and neither are those other jokers who were rightly kicked out of Greece by the Junta. In addition Phillip renounced his Greekness because he didn’t like the way his mum was treated.
Arwa Aziza Regardless of ethnic origin, anyone, whose family has lived in a country for numerous generations, is considered a local whether of royal blood or not.
George Yiannourides Elena Barba. people born in a country and raised in a country belong to that country henceforth. These right-wing fascist notions of pureblood nationhood belong to centuries gone by .
Aggelos Anargirou Aggelou Anna Ellene yes you seem to forget the Byzantine Empire which lasted 1100years, was 100 per cent monarchical and had a good number of Greek-blood emperors and royalty many of whom married into Western monarchies…Also Ancient Greece had many kings, not just the Macedonian – see the Spartan state, Epirus (King Pyrrhus) etc.
Anna Ellene Aggelos Anargirou Aggelou, you do not know your Greek bloodline then … the Byzantine rule was the destruction of Hellas learn more, research more.
John Tsakalidis Perfect marketing campaign carefully crafted my a massive team employed by the palace. People pleasing their priority all of a sudden.
George Yiannourides It’s the Princes Trust International, an initiative embarked and promoted and run by Prince Charles’ cousin, Prince Pavlos, son of King Constantine, the former King of Greece. The Prince’s Trust in the UK has gained huge respect from all spheres in the United Kingdom.
Anthony Franj Sure, but he’s renounced his Greek citizenship and Greek identity many decades ago.
Sotiris Mourtzas Anthony Franj he renounced his previous title as prince of the Hellenes to become a naturalised subject as he prepared to marry the country’s future queen.
Michael Stavrinakis Anthony Franj he never renounced his royalty. That’s why he and his family was sent into exile.
Nick Anagnostou If he had any Greek blood he’d be moving on the Elgin Marbles return to their home.