Prince Charles recently wrote an opinion piece in the Greek newspaper Ta Nea to express his heartfelt wishes for the people who are part of his heritage. The Prince of Wales and rest of the Queen's children are partly Greek because of their father, Prince Philip.
In the note to Greece in light of the coronavirus crisis, the future British king said that he believes in the resilience of the people who have had struggles and challenges many times over but continue to emerge with resilience, vigor and optimism. Prince Charles said that he is hoping that he and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, could visit Greece again when the pandemic is over.
Prince Charles also wrote about the memories of his first visit of Greece more than five decades ago. He said that this left a vivid impression of the country of his grandfather, Prince Andrew's birthplace.
This wasn't the first time that Prince Charles honored his grandfather. The Prince of Wales actually established a number of charities in Prince Andrew's memory, including a trust that helps thousands of Greeks who want to develop their businesses.
Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark was the father of Prince Philip and was born in Athens, Greece. His family was exiled from the country during World War I, separating the Greek royals all over Europe. While Prince Philip was able to seek refuge in Britain, Prince Andrew was in France. During the Second World War, the father and son never got to see or correspond with each other until the older royal's death towards the end of the war.
Prince Andrew was married to Princess Alice, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. While they never divorced, Prince Philip's mother lived in a convent until Queen Elizabeth took her to Buckingham Palace to take care of her in the final years of her life.
Prince Charles last visited Greece in 2018 with Camilla. He spoke about Greece having a special place in his heart because the Greek blood is in his veins and he has long been fascinated by its ancient history and culture.
The Prince of Wales' trip to the country, allegedly, helped lessen the tension that saw Britain and Greece at odds for over 45 years. Prince Charles also helped strengthen the bilateral agreements between the two countries despite Britain preparing to exit the European Union.
According to The Guardian, Prince Philip had his own misgivings about Prince Charles visiting Greece but he son pursued the trip and actually enjoyed tracing his roots. While in Corfu, his father's birthplace, the heir to the British throne also visited Mount Athos, the all-male monastic republic, and met with different spiritual leaders.
