Oh but dear Philippo,people do know they don't have to curtsey anymore,and most certainly do TM,they do not even want people to do that.But bowing is a matter of courtesy,a rare commodity these days in certain circles.
I appreciate familiarity but
Philipp[o] is grammatically incorrect - it should be Philippe,
Φίλιππε [as you know, in Greek, nouns are declined peculiarly].
I agree that bowing is a matter of courtesy. I personally do so when acknowledging people, regardless of their education or socioeconomic background for a) it is polite and b) it offers a negotiatory advantage [noblesse oblige].
People will bow out of respect,for the person,as well as what they represent and no Law can prevent that,may it not be officially so in Greece.
Absolutely, individuals are free to choose to even become
carpets for others to walk on [Greek expression, remnant from the Ottoman rule -
re'ponse paye'e].
In your reply to Chanel you state;"Referring to them as King and Queen of Greece is an insult to Greece,a sovereign member state of the EU",yet,that very same sovereign member state feels free to insult ad nauseam hiding behind the Hellenic Confusion,(stretched to the max by the Gov. if it suits them,and narrowed by the same if that suits them regarding the RF) and it takes the very institutions of the EU,and it's courts,to point that out to them,and not just on the matter of the Royal Family as you may well know but maybe slipped your mind.
1. As per the decision of the European Court, the supreme judicial authority in Europe, the issue of the royal estate is closed.
2. Insofar as the European Union and, by International Law, the World are concerned, the current nationality of the former king of Greece is Danish and his surname is
de Grecia, as per his passport issued following his application [out of his free will] to the Danish Government. He is most welcome, any day and any time, to apply for Greek citizenship [and passport,
ipso facto], in which case, based on international precedent, his name shall be transliterated [not translated] to the Greek language and he will become
Κύριος Κωνστανίνος Ντε Γκρέτσια [Monsieur Constantine De Grecia] and his consort
Kυρία Αννα-Μαρία Ντε Γκρέτσια [Madame Anne-Marie De Grecia].
Your country is so easily "insulted" Philippo as no-one intends too,long toes,that it makes quite a spectacle of itself at times reacting,I'm sorry to say,in the view of other member states,bombastic even,and run as ad hoc as Olympic Airways and often with the same arrogant yet shabby service.A pitty,as I love Greece and your country folks,out of the tourist traps that is,(like everywhere else) and have visited Greece for a great many years and always with pleasure.
I agree about Olympic Airlines, which during the Onassis ownership was an exquisite air carrier. It needs to be sold or rebuilt from scratch, strictly as a private airline and in accordance with EU directives. I can't help, though, but think that many other European Airlines including KLM sell coach class configuration and coach class seat pitch as first class seats
and provide tasteless meals with freezing cold breads for breakfast [personal experience].
There are many tourist traps and Greece is currently focusing on improving the standards of the services provided everywhere in the Tourism and Hospitality Sector of the Economy. I can't help, nonetheless, but remind myself that I have had to deal with small animals in famous and celebrated hotels in downtown Paris and Amsterdam. I remember the hilarious scene, when I walked into our suite in the most historic hotel in Amsterdam and found a very junior member of my family playing with and talking to a charming little mouse.
I am unable to fathom your point here.
And the titles,they are applied under the House Laws,and no state has a say in that,nor will,it would be mingling in the personal sphere's of a Greek family,and you don't do that as you say....but telling a greek he isn't greek sits well if convenient...
.
No one has told any Greek that he is not Greek. In fact, both Greece and Israel recognize patriality up to three generations as a satisfactory reason for immediate naturalization. However, anyone who wants to become naturalized as a Hellene must have a surname and if she/he doesn't, she/he is allowed (and must) adopt or devise one. Thus, there is no issue of not having an option here. King Constantine did and does have an option and, for the time being, he chooses the
no name situation over being a Greek national.
And as you implied that the Monarchy in Greece was of no importance as it was only founded in the mid/late 19th century,I take it all these years have been scrapped out of the history books?How does one go about skipping over a hundred years of a country's history one wonders?By fraud if nothing else my dear?How USSR.
Of course, the Greek children get taught about the 110 years [97 if we exclude the 12 years of the First Republic (1924-36) and the one year of the Second Republic (1973-74)] of the Glucksburg dynasty (1864-1974).
At times though, I wonder whether, say, the children of a fellow EU member country get taught about the Lockheed case notoriety and the pro-Nazi attitudes of royal consorts of the past.
Finally, you would agree, I am sure, that what is 100 years in the history of, say, Belgium, or Luxembourg is more like one hour, or should I say a minute, in the history of Greece.
Best regards