Royal Family Posts in Greek Ahead of Crete War Memorial Visit
Princess Anne is in Greece this week to mark the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Crete, one of the bloodiest engagements of World War II on the Greek front. She met with Greek President Konstantinos Tasoulas at the Presidential Palace in Athens, accompanied by her husband Sir Tim Laurence. The British Royal Family's official social media account posted details of the meeting in Greek, a deliberate gesture of diplomatic outreach.
After her Athens meetings, Princess Anne traveled to Crete to participate in a series of memorial ceremonies. Her first stop is Maleme, where a memorial service will be held at the RAF monument honoring fallen airmen from the 30th and 33rd Squadrons. She will then attend the official ceremony at the Allied War Cemetery in Souda Bay, alongside foreign diplomatic representatives and senior officials.
The Battle of Crete in May 1941 saw Allied and Cretan forces mount fierce resistance against a German airborne invasion, with thousands of casualties on all sides.
While in Chania, Princess Anne will meet with families of Allied soldiers who fought on the island and with descendants of Cretan fighters who took part in the armed resistance against Axis forces. The Battle of Crete in May 1941, now 85 years ago, saw Allied and Cretan forces mount fierce resistance against a German airborne invasion, with thousands of casualties on all sides.
The Royal Family's decision to post in Greek on official channels drew attention as a symbolic act of respect toward Greece ahead of the commemorations. The three-day visit is focused entirely on the anniversary, with no other official engagements on the schedule.
