What political message is behind the tie worn by Charles III at COP28?

It’s hard not to see a hidden message in this choice of clothing. This Friday, December 1, King Charles III attended COP28 in Dubai to discuss urgent commitments to climate and sustainable innovation with other representatives. Dressed in a light gray suit, he also wore a blue and white tie with Greek flag motifs, paired with a handkerchief in the same shades. An obvious nod to some in the face of the discord now roiling his and Socrates’ country.

Diplomatic dispute

Indeed, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak canceled a November 28 meeting with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis in London following diplomatic disagreements over the restoration of the ancient friezes of the Parthenon (Greek temple in Athens). A third of these remains are currently in the Acropolis Museum in Athens, while the other part is kept in the British Museum. If the two representatives were to speak on the subject, Rishi Sunak would be outraged by the comments made by his counterpart on the BBC a few days ago, preferring to send his deputy prime minister instead. According to Greek news agency ANA, Kyriakos Mitsotakis has publicly confirmed his desire to see these ancient marbles returned to Athens, believing that keeping them out of the country would be equivalent to “cutting the Mona Lisa in two”. According to him, these remains were also illegally acquired by the United Kingdom in 1802 and then exported by the British diplomat Lord Elgin. A version of the story that Rishi Sunak denies.

If King Charles III, like his mother Elizabeth II, has made it his motto not to interfere in the political disputes of his country, then the choice of this tie in the colors of the Greek flag does not seem insignificant and will be a message: subtle support for the country. Indeed, the sovereign has sentimental ties to Greece, as her father, Prince Philip, is from there. Unsurprisingly, Buckingham Palace has dismissed the speculation, saying CNN: that tie was simply part of the king’s wardrobe. The latter wore it on November 21 in London during a meeting with South Korean President Yun Suk Yeol.

The political power of clothing

Misinformation or not, fashion has often been used by politicians as a means of communication. Elizabeth II, the mother of Charles III, who died in September 2022, also used this same trick to express her opinion publicly without saying a word. In 2017, when Brexit was voted in a year earlier, he wore a blue hat emblazoned with yellow stars, reminiscent of the flag of the European Union, for his opening speech to parliament, for example. In France, in July 2022, the tie affair also rocked the National Assembly, after around fifteen deputies arrived in a half-cart wearing ties in response to a request from their colleague Eric Ciotti. The latter actually condemned “the way of loosening the clothes”, demanding that the wearing of a tie should once again become mandatory for state representatives.