PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis will reportedly meet with King Charles III later today as he continues his roadshow in the UK to attract investment funds to Greece.
As “THEMA” is informed, the appointment of Mr. Mitsotakis with the new king of England will take place today at 19.00 (Greece time), at Windsor Castle, where the king often welcomes guests privately. Technically, the meeting is considered a violation of protocol, given that Mitsotakis is not a head of state like the king, whose direct counterpart is the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou. The two men, however, have grown closer in recent years, based on the prime minister’s particular interest in Dumfries House in Scotland, which serves as a model for the Tatooi Royal Estate regeneration project that is in full swing.
Their relationship combined with Mr. Mitsotakis’ interest in the environmental issues that have been at the forefront of Charles’ agenda in all the previous years and at the core of the mission of The Prince’s Trust have opened a channel of communication on a personal level. And Mr. Mitsotakis may not meet his new British counterpart Rishi Sunak during his visit, given the intense turmoil in the British economy, but he will have the opportunity to talk to the British monarch.
Project template
What connected the two initially was the tour given by the then Prince of Wales to Kyriakos Mitsotakis last April at Dumfries House in Scotland, with Mr Mitsotakis visiting both the historic building and the estate. The focus of the meeting at the time was the holistic strategy implemented by the Charles Foundation for the restoration of the mansion and the estate surrounding it, the development of educational, environmental, and other activities, as well as the promotion of the estate into a green landmark, open to citizens throughout the year while offering jobs to the local community. That meeting was focused on the government’s plans for the exploitation of Tatoi, in which Karolos has expressed a personal interest. The issue of Tatoi was raised during the visit by Charles to Greece last year in March, for the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution.
With an emphasis on connecting with nature, the Prince Trust welcomes thousands of students to Dumfries each year, offering programs that focus on respecting the natural environment, including lessons on sustainable practices, food production, and gardening. The prime minister then pointed out that his goal is the corresponding promotion of the estate and facilities of Tatoi. In this context projects with a total budget of 75 million euros in the first phase are already being carried out or have been launched, for which resources from the Recovery Fund, the NSRF, the National Development Program, and private donations will be used. Based on the planning the first turnover in Tatoi is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025.
Whether the issue of the return of the Parthenon Marbles is discussed between the two men remains to be seen. In light of the recent more favourable stance by the British government on the matter, the timing could not be better for their return to the Acropolis Museum.
