Price Charles has accepted Greece’s invitation to attend the military parade in Athens on March 25, an event to mark the bicentennial anniversary of the start of the War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire in 1821.
Media reported on Thursday evening that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis personally spoke on the phone with the Prince of Wales.
The heir to the British throne has reportedly accepted the invitation, however, noted that any final decision on a visit would rely on the course of the pandemic.
Even though queen Elizabeth has never visited Greece, the Prince of Wales has been a frequent visitor to the Monks’ Republic of Mount Athos. He officially visited Greece in 2018 together with wife Camilla.
Prnce Charles has been invited to the celebrations as the British Empire was one of the countries that supported the Greek independence struggle.
Invitations has been also sent to the leaders of Russian and France. So far, Vladimir Putin has turned down the invitation, and there has been no response by Emmanuel Macron.
Many Greeks look with skepticism to the perspective of a military parade amid the pandemic especially after hard lockdown has been imposed to Athens and Attica.
It should be recalled that both parades on National Holidays on March 25th and October 28th were cancelled in 2020.
So, what’s the difference in 2021? The bicentennial anniversary 1821-2021.
Some mean Greeks claim that the lockdown in Athens was imposed now so that infections significantly decline before the last March week.
Time will show.
