Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, are set to go on an official visit to Greece from March 24 to 25. However, their diplomatic trip outside of the United Kingdom has sparked fury from the public as the government plans to ban international travel.
According to reports, those who will go abroad will have to pay up at least $6,800 in fines based on the rules from the U.K.'s Health Protection Agency. But the Prince of Wales and his wife are still pushing through with their schedule to fly on their working trip and join Greece as the country celebrates its 200th Year of Independence from Ottoman rule.
Yet some ordinary British citizens are quite annoyed at Charles and Camilla, who seem to have been exempted from the ban. While the public understood that they could not enjoy a decent summer holiday yet again because of the pandemic restriction, some netizens said that the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall's travel is not essential. Some also suggested that the royal pair could do a Zoom call to Greece, as they have been doing in the last year, instead of fly out of London.
However, supporters of Prince Charles and Camilla said that this trip would be another boost for the U.K. as the royal couple will "fly the flag" for the British people. It would also be good for the U.K. to reciprocate this gesture of goodwill as Charles and Camilla have been personally invited by Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotkis to be at the event along with other world leaders and allies.
Royal supporters of the couple also said that the ban to travel abroad would not be in effect until March 29. Thus, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall have not been deliberately exempted since the rules will still be enforced by the time they return from Greece.
Charles and Camilla, who both have had their COVID-19 vaccinations in February, will have a full-packed schedule in Athens. This will be their first official visit abroad post-pandemic. They are also laying a wreath at Syntagma Square at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier after watching the military parade.
The last time the couple had an official visit to Greece was in 2018, shortly after the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Prince Charles has always acknowledged his special ties to Greece since his paternal grandfather, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, was born in Tatoi Palace, located in the north of Athens.
