As the Princess Royal prepares for an official visit to Greece next
week, fresh attention has turned to one of the most surprising
absences from the late Elizabeth II’s extraordinary travel record –
she never carried out an official state visit to the country.
During her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II became one of the
most travelled monarchs in modern history, visiting well over 100
countries across the globe.
From Australia and Canada to China, Russia and Brazil, the late
monarch undertook landmark tours designed to strengthen Britain’s
diplomatic and Commonwealth ties.
Yet Greece – the birthplace of her husband Philip, Duke of
Edinburgh – remained notably absent.
The omission long fuelled speculation among royal historians,
many of whom pointed to Prince Philip’s deeply complicated family
history with Greece.
Prince Philip was born on the Greek island of Corfu in 1921 into
the Greek and Danish royal families.
However, political turmoil soon engulfed the family following
Greece’s defeat in the Greco-Turkish War.
Philip’s father, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, was
arrested and placed on trial in 1922, accused of military failures
during the conflict. He narrowly escaped execution before the
family fled the country into exile when Philip was still a
baby.
Royal historian Hugo Vickers previously suggested the traumatic episode shaped
Prince Philip’s lifelong feelings towards Greece.
“Prince Philip didn’t like Greece because of what happened to
his family,” Vickers explained.
Although Queen Elizabeth II never visited Greece as monarch, she
did briefly travel there in 1950 before ascending the throne,
attending at the invitation of King Paul of Greece, who was Prince
Philip’s cousin.
Relations between the British Royal Family and Greece later
became increasingly delicate following the abolition of the Greek
monarchy in 1973.
Constantine II of Greece, Prince Philip’s cousin and the
country’s final king, spent decades living in London after being
forced into exile and remained close to the Royal Family until his
death in 2023.
Some historians have also argued that the Queen may never have
received a formal invitation for a full state visit during her
reign.
Royal overseas tours were carefully coordinated with the British
government and Foreign Office, with diplomatic priorities and
political sensitivities playing a major role in deciding
destinations.
Despite never visiting Greece officially, Prince Philip retained
personal links to the country throughout his life and occasionally
travelled there privately, including visits to see his mother,
Princess Alice of Battenberg.
Princess Anne’s upcoming visit to Greece will see her attend
commemorations marking 85 years since the Battle of Crete.