Athens Mayor Costas Bakoyannis presented Prince Charles of Wales with the Medal of Value of the City of Athens at a special ceremony that took place Thursday.
The city’s highest honor recognizes “a proven friend of Greece and Hellenism, and especially a friend of Athens, its history and its civilization,” the mayor said.
Noting Britain’s signal contribution to the liberation of Greece, the mayor recited examples of British support after the Greek War for Independence broke out in 1821, and said Greece honors the British who fought with them and died alongside with them. He also referred to the prince’s initiative “Terra Carta”, supporting the protection of nature and biodiversity, expressing appreciation that Athens is the first city to sign on.
Responding, the Prince of Wales said he would proudly wear the medal as a reminder of his ties to Greece. The Terra Carta project, he said, encourages cities to become more involved in greater sustainability and biodiversity and a lower carbon footprint, and Athens has already begun implementing such projects.
He tweeted after the ceremony:
At Athens City Hall, the Mayor of Athens Kostas Bakoyannis presents The Prince of Wales with the Gold Medal of Honour for services to the city and to Greece.#RoyalVisitGreece pic.twitter.com/uRQhoESJ07
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) March 25, 2021
Prince Charles visited Athens following an invitation to participate at the bicentennial celebrations marking the start of the Greek Independence War against the Ottomans on 25. March 1821, as representative of one of the countries tha supported the Greek struggle.
The Prince of Wales spoke about the ties between the UK and Greece during the official Bicentenary Dinner at the Presidential Mansion in Athens on Wednesday. He recited a verse of the National Anthem in Greek.
I notice there is no mention of the carbonara footprint created by ‘Captain Sustainable’ and his band of lackeys for this jaunt.
A carbonara footprint? Sounds messy
Well, Prince Charles could do Greece one more big favour: work for the return of the Parthenon marbles! They belong in Athens not in London!!
Oh yes, if he is such a friend of Greece that is the least he can do!! How can Boris Johnson say they were bought legally by the British Government, when they actually bought them from the Ottomans!!!
Did charlie get a £5000 fine for traveling abroad
Hm. Wonder how much that gold medal cost the people of Athens.
Send more gold to the Royals! Surely they don’t have enough.