The Elgin Marbles are Parthenon sculptures removed from Athens by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century.

They are housed in the British Museum in London and have been the subject of a long-standing dispute between Greece and the UK.

Greece regards the sculptures as stolen and seeks their return to the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

The British Museum and UK officials counter that Lord Elgin acquired the sculptures legally at the time and that they form part of a universal museum collection.

A 1963 Act of Parliament prevents the British Museum from permanently giving the sculptures away.

Negotiations described in the sources include proposals for loans or cultural-exchange deals that would see some sculptures spend time in Athens in exchange for Greek treasures shown in London.

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has raised the issue in meetings with UK leaders and offered loaning Greek items as part of a deal.

Some UK officials have discussed legal ways to block any export of the sculptures and a Downing Street meeting was cancelled, according to reports.

Recent repatriation activity includes Greece recovering hundreds of artefacts from a UK dealer after a 17-year legal fight and the Vatican returning three Parthenon fragments.

Public and institutional opinion is divided, but there is notable support and pressure for repatriation in the UK and internationally.

Based on the provided context, the options under discussion are primarily loan or cultural-exchange agreements, but legal barriers and opposing positions mean no final transfer of the Elgin Marbles to Greece is reported here.

The Elgin Marbles are Parthenon sculptures removed from Athens by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century.

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Looted Ancient Relics Return to Greek Soil After Lengthy Legal Tussle

© AFP 2023 / LOUISA GOULIAMAKIThis photograph taken in Athens on February 8, 2022 shows a rainbow appearing over the Ancient Acropolis.
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Greece's recent recovery of ancient artefacts comes against the protracted legal ownership tug-of-war between the UK’s British Museum and the Greek government regarding the fate of the "Elgin Marbles" - Parthenon carvings, which were removed from the Acropolis over 200 years ago.
A batch of ancient artefacts spanning historical periods from the Neolithic to Byzantine era are being repatriated to Greece after a 17-year-long legal battle, Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni announced on Friday.
The 351 antiquities in question include a white stone Neolithic-era statuette dating to the 4th millennium BC, an Early Cycladic figurine from between 3200 and 2700 BC, a bronze statue of Alexander the Great from the second half of the 2nd century AD.
Without going into any specific details, Mendoni hailed the joint efforts by Culture Ministry officials, the legal department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the country’s judiciary, and archaeologists to wrest the vast collection from the company of a UK antiquities dealer - Robin Symes Limited - which is undergoing liquidation at the moment.
Symes is said to have put together the collection with the help of a sweeping network of illegal traders.
The current repatriation comes after back in 2006 an investigation was launched into the company owned by the now-disgraced British antiquities' dealer. Acting in close cooperation, Italian and Swiss police in 2016 recovered archaeological artefacts, from Symes’ possession, found to have been stolen from Italy. Symes, once a famous London dealer in artefacts, was suspected of being in cahoots at the time with Italian tomb raiders. There has not been any clarification from Mendoni whether the batch of items coming home to Greece now is somehow linked to that discovery at the Geneva Freeport warehouse complex.
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Removal of Greek Parthenon Marbles Likened to Stripping Salisbury of Stonehenge by UK's Stephen Fry
Greece has been on a crusade to return looted artefacts across the globe. The most high-profile artworks in this case are the Parthenon Sculptures. Originally part of the temple of the Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens, they were removed by British diplomat Lord Elgin during the Turkish occupation in 1802. They were brought to Britain and are now on display in the British Museum in London. The UK has long argued that Elgin was given permission to take them by local Ottoman rulers. Greece has consistently demanded the return of the sculptures on display in the British Museum, claiming they are "the product of theft." The campaign to return the artworks continue. Meanwhile, at a reunification ceremony in Athens, three fragments of the Parthenon were brought to the Greek capital and its Acropolis Museum from the Vatican.
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Vatican Returns Three Fragments of Parthenon to Greece
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They are housed in the British Museum in London and have been the subject of a long-standing dispute between Greece and the UK.

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Bring them home

At the end of August, it was reported that around 2,000 artefacts, including gold jewellery and gems, had been stolen from the British Museum over a long period of time.

Chairman of the trustees, George Osborne acknowledged that the museum’s reputation has suffered as a result of its mishandling of the thefts, which sparked outrage after it was revealed that most of the stolen antiquities may never be recovered due to the museum’s poor record keeping, raising questions about security and leadership.

For decades, the British Museum has argued that the Parthenon Marbles should not be returned to Greece since the country lacks a suitable location for their display.

The Acropolis Museum, on the other hand, has solidified its place among the world’s top ten best museums and is the go-to museum in Athens where one can readily understand why Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization. So, why not return the Parthenon marbles to their rightful home, and how did they end up in the British Museum in the first place?

In the early 1800s, when British aristocrat Lord Elgin sailed home from Greece, he also shipped to England some of the greatest treasures of antiquity, which included a collection of Greek statues and carved frieze panels that once decorated the Parthenon in Athens.

The so-called Elgin Marbles were later sold to the British government with the approval of the Ottomans who ruled Greece at the time and became the most storied artefacts in the British Museum’s collection. They also became the subject of perhaps the world’s most notorious cultural dispute.

The British maintain that the marbles were legally acquired and they belong in a universal museum alongside other artefacts, excluding the 2,000 that were now reportedly stolen. The Greeks, on the other hand, view them as looted treasures that form the cornerstone of their national heritage.

For decades, the issue of the Parthenon Marbles has been on the agenda of the Unesco Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property (ICPRCP). In fact, it was Melina Mercouri, the Greek Minister of Culture at the time, who raised the matter of their return during the 1982 Unesco World Conference.

Although the forum ruled in favour of the cause, stating that restitution of works illegally removed from their countries of origin is a fundamental principle of people-to-people cultural relations, Mercouri’s British counterpart responded that the UK Government “could not intervene in the affairs of a private establishment like the British Museum.”

While efforts are underway to retrieve the stolen antiquities, the British Museum’s collections may never be recovered because the museum’s records only identify the collection as a whole and fail to list the individual pieces.

This is not the first time the museum’s image as a safe keeper of global treasures has been called into doubt. The poor condition of the British Museum’s western block has been recorded numerous times. Images of water leaking into the Parthenon gallery were broadcast on Greek television in 2018, resulting from a cracked glass ceiling pane. Although the glass was replaced with new fixings and no sculptures were destroyed, a leaking roof in 2021 resulted in water seeping through, once again, delaying the reopening of the Greek galleries following the pandemic.

The British Museum claimed that none of the statues had been damaged and the issue was addressed. However, for Greece, these events demonstrate that the British Museum is failing to care for the Parthenon Marbles, reinforcing the country’s legitimate claim that the sculptures be permanently returned to Athens.

Earlier this year, the British Museum moved closer to a landmark agreement with Athens that could result in the return of the marbles. Although existing legislation makes it illegal to give away treasures, Osborne is reportedly seeking to repatriate the Parthenon Marbles as part of a cultural exchange that would see other Greek antiques displayed at the British Museum. Over half of the British people support their repatriation to Greece.

Hundreds of statues from the Archaic and Classical periods can be found at the ultramodern Acropolis Museum. The top level is the museum’s showcase, which provides a visual link to the Acropolis and allows visitors to view both the monument and its sculptures. The majority of the Parthenon Marbles will be displayed there upon their anticipated return.

The Parthenon Sculptures were made in Greece by Greeks to honour the glory of Greece. They represent millions of people’s cultural identities. Greece is their true home. It is where they belong.

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Greece regards the sculptures as stolen and seeks their return to the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

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Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

The British Museum and UK officials counter that Lord Elgin acquired the sculptures legally at the time and that they form part of a universal museum collection.

A 1963 Act of Parliament prevents the British Museum from permanently giving the sculptures away.

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Content: Greek premier to meet Starmer and Sunak in renewed push to return Elgin marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis due to meet Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in London next week

Matt Mathers
Saturday 25 November 2023 23:43
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Elgin Marbles: British Museum lends statue

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to raise the issue of the Parthenon sculptures with the UK next week.

He is reportedly due to hold talks with Labour leader Keir Starmer on Monday and prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday and will raise the subject with both.

The Financial Times reported that Mr Starmer was open to a potential loan deal that would see parts of the ancient sculptures returned. Labour declined to comment.

The 2,500-year-old sculptures, also known as the Eglin Marbles, were taken from Athens to Britain by agents of Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Eglin, in the early 19th century and never returned. Greece says they were stolen, sparking a bitter and long-running dispute with the UK.

Housed in their own dedicated room, the sculptures of Olympian gods and goddesses, centaurs and warriors are among the greatest at the British Museum.

A 1963 Act of Parliament stops the British Museum from permanently handing them back.

George Osborne, the museum’s chair and the former Conservative Party MP and chancellor, has backed a loan deal.

“I hope we’ll find a way to partner with Greece so that a portion of the Marbles spend part of their time in Athens . . . and we see more of their treasures in return,” he wrote in The Spectator last week. Mr Osborne conceded that “we may well not succeed” but that it was “surely worth the effort”.

The proposed deal, which Mr Osborne and Mr Mitsotakis have held secret talks over, would allow the sculptures to return to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures being displayed in London.

Many of the artworks in question are in storage in museum vaults and have never before been seen.

Mr Mitsotakis, who has said it is his “passion” to get the sculptures back, is scheduled to meet both party leaders next week. He intends to raise the issue in both meetings, a person close to him told the FT.

Mr Sunak is said to be not opposed to the idea of a loan deal but sceptical that the sculptures would ever be returned if they were loaned to Greece, according to the paper.

No 10 has been contacted for comment.

A UK government spokesperson told the FT: “The UK has cared for the Elgin Marbles for generations.

“Our galleries and museums are funded by taxpayers because they are a huge asset to this country. “

We share their treasures with the world, and the world comes to the UK to see them. The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it.”

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Negotiations described in the sources include proposals for loans or cultural-exchange deals that would see some sculptures spend time in Athens in exchange for Greek treasures shown in London.

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has raised the issue in meetings with UK leaders and offered loaning Greek items as part of a deal.

Some UK officials have discussed legal ways to block any export of the sculptures and a Downing Street meeting was cancelled, according to reports.

Title:

Content: Explainer

Beyond the Elgin Marbles: Which other famous artefacts has the UK been urged to give back?

British museums are bulging with items taken from other countries with - or in many cases without - permission. Greece has made high-profile demands for the return of the Elgin Marbles. Sky News looks at some of the other countries calling for the UK to hand back precious items.

Why you can trust Sky News

Greece has long called for Britain to hand back the Elgin Marbles - 17 sculptures controversially removed from the ancient Parthenon temple 200 years ago.

UK officials have discussed legal ways they could block any export of the sculptures, Sky News understands, as Downing Street cancelled a meeting between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Greek counterpart.

But Greece is not alone in demanding the return of artefacts held by British museums.

Here, Sky News looks at some of the other countries calling for the UK to hand back precious items.

Benin Bronzes - Nigeria

Nigeria has called for the return of the Benin Bronzes - and renewed its demand after it emerged earlier this year that 2,000 artefacts had been stolen from the British Museum.

The artefacts, which date back as far as the 16th century, were taken from Benin City after British forces invaded the Kingdom in modern day Nigeria in 1897.

"They are the subject of loot. They were illegally taken out of the country," said Abba Isa Tijani, director of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments, speaking to Sky News in August.

"It is irrespective whether they are safe there. That is not an issue. The issue is that these are stolen artefacts, and they should be returned to Nigeria to the communities that they belong to."

Mold gold cape and Moel Hebog shield - Wales

Thefts at the British Museum also prompted demands for Welsh artefacts to be returned to Wales.

The Mold gold cape, which is around 4,000 years old, and the Moel Hebog shield, thought to be from between the 12th and 10th centuries BC, were among the items in the museum's collection with a Welsh connection.

Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, said the argument that items were safer in London "no longer holds water".

She added: "These items belong to everyone but they belong especially to us in Wales and we have the means for them to play a part in the way we interpret our history."

The Rosetta Stone - Egypt

Egypt petitioned for the return of the Rosetta Stone, saying the "key to the decipherment of hieroglyphs is an icon of our Egyptian identity".

The demand for the British Museum to hand back the artefact, which was taken by the British in 1801 after being uncovered by the French, gained more than 200,000 signatures.

The Maqdala collection - Ethiopia

Crosses, religious texts and a shield were among the items of the Maqdala collection returned to Ethiopia in 2021.

But more artefacts looted by British soldiers during the Battle of Maqdala in 1868 remain in British museums.

Receiving the items, Ethiopia's ambassador to the UK ambassador, Teferi Melesse Desta said: "To honour the memory of Maqdala, I once again renew the calls made by countless Ethiopians before me for museums, collectors and holders of Maqdala heritage to return [these items].

"It is my hope that in the Maqdala returns to come, the relations between our two nations and people can deepen and grow from strength to strength."

Hoa Hakananai'a sculpture - Easter Island/Rapa Nui

In 2018, a delegation from Easter Island asked the British Museum to return a seven-foot tall basalt sculpture known as Hoa Hakananai'a, which means "the stolen or hidden friend" in the Rapa Nui language.

It is believed to date from around 1200 AD. It was removed from the island in 1868 and given as a gift to Queen Victoria.

"This is no rock," Carlos Edmunds, president of the Council of Elders, told the Guardian. "It embodies the spirit of an ancestor, almost like a grandfather. This is what we want returned to our island - not just a statue."

Items from Omdurman battlefield - Sudan

Sudan has demanded the return of artefacts and body parts taken by British soldiers at the Battle of Omdurman in 1898.

Two skulls, a banner and a suit of armour were among the items Sudan want returned.

Cultural relics - China

China joined demands for the return of artefacts after the British Museum theft scandal with an editorial in state-run newspaper The Global Times.

It said there were 23,000 Chinese cultural items in the museum's collection, including statues, bronzes, scrolls "and other extremely valuable national treasures".

"It's difficult to trace how exactly China lost them to the British Museum, but most Chinese collections were certainly looted or stolen by Britain when it created and later took advantage of China's crisis, or even directly robbed China," the editorial said.

"As long as Britain cannot prove which collection was acquired legally and honestly, then the mother country of these collections has the right to seek their repatriation."

Read more:
What are the Elgin Marbles?
British Museum reveals types of items believed to have been stolen

Neanderthal skulls - Gibraltar

In 2018, Gibraltar asked for the return of two Neanderthal skulls display at the Natural History Museum.

The skulls, belonging to an adult woman and a child, are the "best-studied human fossils in the world", according to the Natural History Museum.

"It is only right that such significant items come back home where they will be cherished and well looked after," Gibraltar's minister for heritage said at the time.

Recent repatriation activity includes Greece recovering hundreds of artefacts from a UK dealer after a 17-year legal fight and the Vatican returning three Parthenon fragments.

Title:

Content: After a long court battle with a well-known art dealer from Britain, Greece's valuable artefacts are finally returning home. As many as 351 rare statues had been found in the possession of British art dealer Robin Symes. The objects were first traced to Symes back in 2006 and since then the country has been fighting to get them back to their territory.

It took 17 years, but finally, the artefacts are returning to Greece. Most of the artefacts are from the Neolithic era and the Byzantine era, however, some are from in between. Of these, the most important one is a statue of Alexander the Great. The statue is entirely made of bronze and dates back to the 2nd century.

History of plundering and supplying to museums

Robin Symes has been accused of plundering antiquities from countries like Italy, Greece etc for decades. Symes has been linked to looting artefacts from excavations in countries like Italy and Greece in the 70s and 80s. In fact, Symes has been served a prison sentence over his illegal sale of an Egyptian statue worth £3 million in 2005.

He has been known to gather antiquities from these companies and sell them for display in the best museums in the world. There isn't any estimate of how much his looted items from the 70s Italy expedition are worth, says the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art (ARCA). Known to the world's leading art curators and having served as a trustee to the British Museum, Symes formed a powerful network that had access to antiquities in Egypt, Greece, Italy and Asia.

The fight to recover the assets

As such the Greek authorities started investigating Symes' company to repatriate the items including a Neolithic statuette from the fourth century BC. They were chased by the Greek, Swiss, and Italian Police.

In 2016, the Swiss and the Italian team could nab some of the archaeological artefacts from Robin Symes and his company after years of work. All these artefacts were from illegal excavations in Italy. The police tracked the stolen Italian artefacts to a storage unit in Geneva Freeport.

As for the Greek artefact, it's not clear if they came from the same haul or whether it has any link to Italian excavations and artefacts. In the Greek collection, the 4th century BC white stone Neolithic era statuette has been found.

Other missing valuable items from Greece have been also found. The list includes a 3200-2700 BC early Cycladic figure, a 550-500 BC archaic sculpture made of marble, and another 550-500 BC archaic marble head probably from a sphinx or a sculpture.

Other Greek artefacts waiting for recovery

The Greek government has been trying to recover these artefacts from private collectors and museums worldwide. The process has been strenuous legal battles. Only recently, the Vatican returned fragments of the Parthenon temple.

The act of returning the three fragments to Greece in March this year was labelled a "gesture of friendship" by Pope Francis. Even today, many of the Parthenon's temple fragments are in the most prestigious museums in the world, most famously the Elgin marbles in the British Museum.

Public and institutional opinion is divided, but there is notable support and pressure for repatriation in the UK and internationally.

Based on the provided context, the options under discussion are primarily loan or cultural-exchange agreements, but legal barriers and opposing positions mean no final transfer of the Elgin Marbles to Greece is reported here.


The Elgin Marbles are ancient Greek sculptures removed from the Parthenon in Athens by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century.

The sculptures are on display at the British Museum in London and have been the subject of a long-running dispute with Greece, which seeks their return.

The United Kingdom and the British Museum have argued that Lord Elgin obtained permission from Ottoman-era authorities and that the marbles were legally acquired and have been cared for in the UK.

Greece regards the Parthenon sculptures as having been stolen and says they belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

A 1963 Act of Parliament prevents the British Museum from permanently handing the sculptures back.

Proposed ways to resolve the dispute reported in the press have included loan or cultural-exchange arrangements, and Greek leaders have offered to lend other Greek treasures as part of such deals while some British museum figures have expressed support for temporary loans.

Media reports say talks between Greek officials and the British Museum and UK political leaders have been held and that at least one Greek newspaper described discussions as being at an 'advanced stage.'

Practical obstacles to a permanent return include UK legal protections for museum collections and political reluctance among some UK officials to change the status quo.

Public debates about museum stewardship and recent high-profile repatriation and theft stories have shaped public sentiment and the broader context of cultural returns.

In related repatriation actions, Greece recently recovered 351 antiquities after a 17-year legal effort involving the British dealer Robin Symes, illustrating active recovery efforts beyond the Parthenon dispute.

The documents provided show ongoing negotiations and public discussion but no finalized, legally binding permanent return of the Elgin Marbles.

Summary: The most feasible resolution under current discussion is a loan or cultural-exchange arrangement allowing some sculptures to spend time in Athens while legal ownership remains with UK institutions, but legal barriers and unresolved political disagreement mean no permanent return has been agreed.

The Elgin Marbles are ancient Greek sculptures removed from the Parthenon in Athens by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century.

Title:

Content: Opinion

Bring them home

At the end of August, it was reported that around 2,000 artefacts, including gold jewellery and gems, had been stolen from the British Museum over a long period of time.

Chairman of the trustees, George Osborne acknowledged that the museum’s reputation has suffered as a result of its mishandling of the thefts, which sparked outrage after it was revealed that most of the stolen antiquities may never be recovered due to the museum’s poor record keeping, raising questions about security and leadership.

For decades, the British Museum has argued that the Parthenon Marbles should not be returned to Greece since the country lacks a suitable location for their display.

The Acropolis Museum, on the other hand, has solidified its place among the world’s top ten best museums and is the go-to museum in Athens where one can readily understand why Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization. So, why not return the Parthenon marbles to their rightful home, and how did they end up in the British Museum in the first place?

In the early 1800s, when British aristocrat Lord Elgin sailed home from Greece, he also shipped to England some of the greatest treasures of antiquity, which included a collection of Greek statues and carved frieze panels that once decorated the Parthenon in Athens.

The so-called Elgin Marbles were later sold to the British government with the approval of the Ottomans who ruled Greece at the time and became the most storied artefacts in the British Museum’s collection. They also became the subject of perhaps the world’s most notorious cultural dispute.

The British maintain that the marbles were legally acquired and they belong in a universal museum alongside other artefacts, excluding the 2,000 that were now reportedly stolen. The Greeks, on the other hand, view them as looted treasures that form the cornerstone of their national heritage.

For decades, the issue of the Parthenon Marbles has been on the agenda of the Unesco Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property (ICPRCP). In fact, it was Melina Mercouri, the Greek Minister of Culture at the time, who raised the matter of their return during the 1982 Unesco World Conference.

Although the forum ruled in favour of the cause, stating that restitution of works illegally removed from their countries of origin is a fundamental principle of people-to-people cultural relations, Mercouri’s British counterpart responded that the UK Government “could not intervene in the affairs of a private establishment like the British Museum.”

While efforts are underway to retrieve the stolen antiquities, the British Museum’s collections may never be recovered because the museum’s records only identify the collection as a whole and fail to list the individual pieces.

This is not the first time the museum’s image as a safe keeper of global treasures has been called into doubt. The poor condition of the British Museum’s western block has been recorded numerous times. Images of water leaking into the Parthenon gallery were broadcast on Greek television in 2018, resulting from a cracked glass ceiling pane. Although the glass was replaced with new fixings and no sculptures were destroyed, a leaking roof in 2021 resulted in water seeping through, once again, delaying the reopening of the Greek galleries following the pandemic.

The British Museum claimed that none of the statues had been damaged and the issue was addressed. However, for Greece, these events demonstrate that the British Museum is failing to care for the Parthenon Marbles, reinforcing the country’s legitimate claim that the sculptures be permanently returned to Athens.

Earlier this year, the British Museum moved closer to a landmark agreement with Athens that could result in the return of the marbles. Although existing legislation makes it illegal to give away treasures, Osborne is reportedly seeking to repatriate the Parthenon Marbles as part of a cultural exchange that would see other Greek antiques displayed at the British Museum. Over half of the British people support their repatriation to Greece.

Hundreds of statues from the Archaic and Classical periods can be found at the ultramodern Acropolis Museum. The top level is the museum’s showcase, which provides a visual link to the Acropolis and allows visitors to view both the monument and its sculptures. The majority of the Parthenon Marbles will be displayed there upon their anticipated return.

The Parthenon Sculptures were made in Greece by Greeks to honour the glory of Greece. They represent millions of people’s cultural identities. Greece is their true home. It is where they belong.

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Looted Ancient Relics Return to Greek Soil After Lengthy Legal Tussle

© AFP 2023 / LOUISA GOULIAMAKIThis photograph taken in Athens on February 8, 2022 shows a rainbow appearing over the Ancient Acropolis.
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Greece's recent recovery of ancient artefacts comes against the protracted legal ownership tug-of-war between the UK’s British Museum and the Greek government regarding the fate of the "Elgin Marbles" - Parthenon carvings, which were removed from the Acropolis over 200 years ago.
A batch of ancient artefacts spanning historical periods from the Neolithic to Byzantine era are being repatriated to Greece after a 17-year-long legal battle, Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni announced on Friday.
The 351 antiquities in question include a white stone Neolithic-era statuette dating to the 4th millennium BC, an Early Cycladic figurine from between 3200 and 2700 BC, a bronze statue of Alexander the Great from the second half of the 2nd century AD.
Without going into any specific details, Mendoni hailed the joint efforts by Culture Ministry officials, the legal department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the country’s judiciary, and archaeologists to wrest the vast collection from the company of a UK antiquities dealer - Robin Symes Limited - which is undergoing liquidation at the moment.
Symes is said to have put together the collection with the help of a sweeping network of illegal traders.
The current repatriation comes after back in 2006 an investigation was launched into the company owned by the now-disgraced British antiquities' dealer. Acting in close cooperation, Italian and Swiss police in 2016 recovered archaeological artefacts, from Symes’ possession, found to have been stolen from Italy. Symes, once a famous London dealer in artefacts, was suspected of being in cahoots at the time with Italian tomb raiders. There has not been any clarification from Mendoni whether the batch of items coming home to Greece now is somehow linked to that discovery at the Geneva Freeport warehouse complex.
World
Removal of Greek Parthenon Marbles Likened to Stripping Salisbury of Stonehenge by UK's Stephen Fry
Greece has been on a crusade to return looted artefacts across the globe. The most high-profile artworks in this case are the Parthenon Sculptures. Originally part of the temple of the Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens, they were removed by British diplomat Lord Elgin during the Turkish occupation in 1802. They were brought to Britain and are now on display in the British Museum in London. The UK has long argued that Elgin was given permission to take them by local Ottoman rulers. Greece has consistently demanded the return of the sculptures on display in the British Museum, claiming they are "the product of theft." The campaign to return the artworks continue. Meanwhile, at a reunification ceremony in Athens, three fragments of the Parthenon were brought to the Greek capital and its Acropolis Museum from the Vatican.
World
Vatican Returns Three Fragments of Parthenon to Greece
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The sculptures are on display at the British Museum in London and have been the subject of a long-running dispute with Greece, which seeks their return.

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Content: Explainer

Beyond the Elgin Marbles: Which other famous artefacts has the UK been urged to give back?

British museums are bulging with items taken from other countries with - or in many cases without - permission. Greece has made high-profile demands for the return of the Elgin Marbles. Sky News looks at some of the other countries calling for the UK to hand back precious items.

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Greece has long called for Britain to hand back the Elgin Marbles - 17 sculptures controversially removed from the ancient Parthenon temple 200 years ago.

UK officials have discussed legal ways they could block any export of the sculptures, Sky News understands, as Downing Street cancelled a meeting between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Greek counterpart.

But Greece is not alone in demanding the return of artefacts held by British museums.

Here, Sky News looks at some of the other countries calling for the UK to hand back precious items.

Benin Bronzes - Nigeria

Nigeria has called for the return of the Benin Bronzes - and renewed its demand after it emerged earlier this year that 2,000 artefacts had been stolen from the British Museum.

The artefacts, which date back as far as the 16th century, were taken from Benin City after British forces invaded the Kingdom in modern day Nigeria in 1897.

"They are the subject of loot. They were illegally taken out of the country," said Abba Isa Tijani, director of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments, speaking to Sky News in August.

"It is irrespective whether they are safe there. That is not an issue. The issue is that these are stolen artefacts, and they should be returned to Nigeria to the communities that they belong to."

Mold gold cape and Moel Hebog shield - Wales

Thefts at the British Museum also prompted demands for Welsh artefacts to be returned to Wales.

The Mold gold cape, which is around 4,000 years old, and the Moel Hebog shield, thought to be from between the 12th and 10th centuries BC, were among the items in the museum's collection with a Welsh connection.

Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, said the argument that items were safer in London "no longer holds water".

She added: "These items belong to everyone but they belong especially to us in Wales and we have the means for them to play a part in the way we interpret our history."

The Rosetta Stone - Egypt

Egypt petitioned for the return of the Rosetta Stone, saying the "key to the decipherment of hieroglyphs is an icon of our Egyptian identity".

The demand for the British Museum to hand back the artefact, which was taken by the British in 1801 after being uncovered by the French, gained more than 200,000 signatures.

The Maqdala collection - Ethiopia

Crosses, religious texts and a shield were among the items of the Maqdala collection returned to Ethiopia in 2021.

But more artefacts looted by British soldiers during the Battle of Maqdala in 1868 remain in British museums.

Receiving the items, Ethiopia's ambassador to the UK ambassador, Teferi Melesse Desta said: "To honour the memory of Maqdala, I once again renew the calls made by countless Ethiopians before me for museums, collectors and holders of Maqdala heritage to return [these items].

"It is my hope that in the Maqdala returns to come, the relations between our two nations and people can deepen and grow from strength to strength."

Hoa Hakananai'a sculpture - Easter Island/Rapa Nui

In 2018, a delegation from Easter Island asked the British Museum to return a seven-foot tall basalt sculpture known as Hoa Hakananai'a, which means "the stolen or hidden friend" in the Rapa Nui language.

It is believed to date from around 1200 AD. It was removed from the island in 1868 and given as a gift to Queen Victoria.

"This is no rock," Carlos Edmunds, president of the Council of Elders, told the Guardian. "It embodies the spirit of an ancestor, almost like a grandfather. This is what we want returned to our island - not just a statue."

Items from Omdurman battlefield - Sudan

Sudan has demanded the return of artefacts and body parts taken by British soldiers at the Battle of Omdurman in 1898.

Two skulls, a banner and a suit of armour were among the items Sudan want returned.

Cultural relics - China

China joined demands for the return of artefacts after the British Museum theft scandal with an editorial in state-run newspaper The Global Times.

It said there were 23,000 Chinese cultural items in the museum's collection, including statues, bronzes, scrolls "and other extremely valuable national treasures".

"It's difficult to trace how exactly China lost them to the British Museum, but most Chinese collections were certainly looted or stolen by Britain when it created and later took advantage of China's crisis, or even directly robbed China," the editorial said.

"As long as Britain cannot prove which collection was acquired legally and honestly, then the mother country of these collections has the right to seek their repatriation."

Read more:
What are the Elgin Marbles?
British Museum reveals types of items believed to have been stolen

Neanderthal skulls - Gibraltar

In 2018, Gibraltar asked for the return of two Neanderthal skulls display at the Natural History Museum.

The skulls, belonging to an adult woman and a child, are the "best-studied human fossils in the world", according to the Natural History Museum.

"It is only right that such significant items come back home where they will be cherished and well looked after," Gibraltar's minister for heritage said at the time.

The United Kingdom and the British Museum have argued that Lord Elgin obtained permission from Ottoman-era authorities and that the marbles were legally acquired and have been cared for in the UK.

Title:

Content: Greek premier to meet Starmer and Sunak in renewed push to return Elgin marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis due to meet Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in London next week

Matt Mathers
Saturday 25 November 2023 23:43
Comments
Elgin Marbles: British Museum lends statue

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to raise the issue of the Parthenon sculptures with the UK next week.

He is reportedly due to hold talks with Labour leader Keir Starmer on Monday and prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday and will raise the subject with both.

The Financial Times reported that Mr Starmer was open to a potential loan deal that would see parts of the ancient sculptures returned. Labour declined to comment.

The 2,500-year-old sculptures, also known as the Eglin Marbles, were taken from Athens to Britain by agents of Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Eglin, in the early 19th century and never returned. Greece says they were stolen, sparking a bitter and long-running dispute with the UK.

Housed in their own dedicated room, the sculptures of Olympian gods and goddesses, centaurs and warriors are among the greatest at the British Museum.

A 1963 Act of Parliament stops the British Museum from permanently handing them back.

George Osborne, the museum’s chair and the former Conservative Party MP and chancellor, has backed a loan deal.

“I hope we’ll find a way to partner with Greece so that a portion of the Marbles spend part of their time in Athens . . . and we see more of their treasures in return,” he wrote in The Spectator last week. Mr Osborne conceded that “we may well not succeed” but that it was “surely worth the effort”.

The proposed deal, which Mr Osborne and Mr Mitsotakis have held secret talks over, would allow the sculptures to return to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures being displayed in London.

Many of the artworks in question are in storage in museum vaults and have never before been seen.

Mr Mitsotakis, who has said it is his “passion” to get the sculptures back, is scheduled to meet both party leaders next week. He intends to raise the issue in both meetings, a person close to him told the FT.

Mr Sunak is said to be not opposed to the idea of a loan deal but sceptical that the sculptures would ever be returned if they were loaned to Greece, according to the paper.

No 10 has been contacted for comment.

A UK government spokesperson told the FT: “The UK has cared for the Elgin Marbles for generations.

“Our galleries and museums are funded by taxpayers because they are a huge asset to this country. “

We share their treasures with the world, and the world comes to the UK to see them. The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it.”

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Greece regards the Parthenon sculptures as having been stolen and says they belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

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Content: Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

A 1963 Act of Parliament prevents the British Museum from permanently handing the sculptures back.

Proposed ways to resolve the dispute reported in the press have included loan or cultural-exchange arrangements, and Greek leaders have offered to lend other Greek treasures as part of such deals while some British museum figures have expressed support for temporary loans.

Media reports say talks between Greek officials and the British Museum and UK political leaders have been held and that at least one Greek newspaper described discussions as being at an 'advanced stage.'

Title:

Content: Main content

Reports say a deal to return Elgin Marbles to Greece is at an "advanced stage"

The Greek daily newspaper, Ta Nea, says talks have been taking place between the British Museum and the Greek prime minister since November last year.

The Greek daily newspaper, Ta Nea, says talks have been taking place between the British Museum and the Greek prime minister since November last year.

Also on the programme: an alternative to plastic; and the story of how a fossil, which lay unnoticed in a drawer for over half a century, has advanced our understanding of the origins of reptiles.

(Picture: One of the Parthenon Statues, also known as the Elgin Marbles. Credit: Reuters)

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Practical obstacles to a permanent return include UK legal protections for museum collections and political reluctance among some UK officials to change the status quo.

Public debates about museum stewardship and recent high-profile repatriation and theft stories have shaped public sentiment and the broader context of cultural returns.

Title:

Content: After a long court battle with a well-known art dealer from Britain, Greece's valuable artefacts are finally returning home. As many as 351 rare statues had been found in the possession of British art dealer Robin Symes. The objects were first traced to Symes back in 2006 and since then the country has been fighting to get them back to their territory.

It took 17 years, but finally, the artefacts are returning to Greece. Most of the artefacts are from the Neolithic era and the Byzantine era, however, some are from in between. Of these, the most important one is a statue of Alexander the Great. The statue is entirely made of bronze and dates back to the 2nd century.

History of plundering and supplying to museums

Robin Symes has been accused of plundering antiquities from countries like Italy, Greece etc for decades. Symes has been linked to looting artefacts from excavations in countries like Italy and Greece in the 70s and 80s. In fact, Symes has been served a prison sentence over his illegal sale of an Egyptian statue worth £3 million in 2005.

He has been known to gather antiquities from these companies and sell them for display in the best museums in the world. There isn't any estimate of how much his looted items from the 70s Italy expedition are worth, says the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art (ARCA). Known to the world's leading art curators and having served as a trustee to the British Museum, Symes formed a powerful network that had access to antiquities in Egypt, Greece, Italy and Asia.

The fight to recover the assets

As such the Greek authorities started investigating Symes' company to repatriate the items including a Neolithic statuette from the fourth century BC. They were chased by the Greek, Swiss, and Italian Police.

In 2016, the Swiss and the Italian team could nab some of the archaeological artefacts from Robin Symes and his company after years of work. All these artefacts were from illegal excavations in Italy. The police tracked the stolen Italian artefacts to a storage unit in Geneva Freeport.

As for the Greek artefact, it's not clear if they came from the same haul or whether it has any link to Italian excavations and artefacts. In the Greek collection, the 4th century BC white stone Neolithic era statuette has been found.

Other missing valuable items from Greece have been also found. The list includes a 3200-2700 BC early Cycladic figure, a 550-500 BC archaic sculpture made of marble, and another 550-500 BC archaic marble head probably from a sphinx or a sculpture.

Other Greek artefacts waiting for recovery

The Greek government has been trying to recover these artefacts from private collectors and museums worldwide. The process has been strenuous legal battles. Only recently, the Vatican returned fragments of the Parthenon temple.

The act of returning the three fragments to Greece in March this year was labelled a "gesture of friendship" by Pope Francis. Even today, many of the Parthenon's temple fragments are in the most prestigious museums in the world, most famously the Elgin marbles in the British Museum.

In related repatriation actions, Greece recently recovered 351 antiquities after a 17-year legal effort involving the British dealer Robin Symes, illustrating active recovery efforts beyond the Parthenon dispute.

The documents provided show ongoing negotiations and public discussion but no finalized, legally binding permanent return of the Elgin Marbles.

Summary: The most feasible resolution under current discussion is a loan or cultural-exchange arrangement allowing some sculptures to spend time in Athens while legal ownership remains with UK institutions, but legal barriers and unresolved political disagreement mean no permanent return has been agreed.


Queen Elizabeth II received her first Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Susan, as an 18th birthday present and bred 14 generations descended from her.

She owned around thirty corgis over her lifetime and kept corgis as a constant presence during her 70-year reign.

The Queen created the dorgi, a corgi-dachshund cross, when one of her corgis mated with Princess Margaret’s dachshund, producing dogs like Vulcan and Candy.

Her corgis received royal treatment, including specially prepared menus, silver feeding rituals, dedicated sleeping quarters, and tailored travel arrangements.

Her visible affection and public presence with corgis, including corgi imagery during her Platinum Jubilee and the dogs being noted near her at her death and funeral, strengthened their cultural association with British royalty.

The Kennel Club and news reports credit the Queen with helping to boost corgi registrations from a previously vulnerable listing to one of the UK's most popular breeds, with registrations hitting a multi-decade peak after the Platinum Jubilee and her death.

Her corgis inspired public events and tributes, such as the Tour de Corgi adding a 'Queen Elizabeth' costume category in her honour.

Historically the breed served as a working herding dog in Wales and beyond, with documentary evidence of herding activity as early as about 800 AD.

Together, these documented facts—her continuous ownership, breeding line from Susan, public displays, royal care and media moments—explain how the Queen helped transform corgis into cultural icons linked to British royalty and increased their global popularity.

Conclusion: Queen Elizabeth II’s lifelong love, public visibility, and breeding of corgis made them cultural icons and significantly boosted their worldwide popularity.

Queen Elizabeth II received her first Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Susan, as an 18th birthday present and bred 14 generations descended from her.

Title:

Content: To the rest of the world, she is Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom—but to generations of corgis, she was always just Mum.

The queen’s beloved corgis have never been far from her side, ever since she fell in love with the breed as a young girl.

See Also: Royal Family Shares Throwback Photos of Prince Charles

The queen received her first corgi, Susan, as an 18th birthday present, and her 14 generations of royal corgis since then have all descended from the same line. Sadly, Susan’s very last descendant, Willow, recently passed away, marking the end of era for the royal family. However, the queen will forever be associated with the distinctive breed.

We’re looking back at her lifelong affection for corgis. Launch the gallery to see candid photos of Queen Elizabeth and her favorite canine companions!

She owned around thirty corgis over her lifetime and kept corgis as a constant presence during her 70-year reign.

Title:

Content: It's no secret that Queen Elizabeth is a huge dog lover, so it comes as no surprise that her pet pooches live very lavish lifestyles.

Her Majesty, 95, has taken care of numerous dogs throughout her 70-year reign, and she is currently the owner of two corgis, a dorgi called Candy, and a cocker spaniel named Lissy.

The Queen's pet corgis have been a constant throughout her time on the throne, and it's believed that she's had around 30 dogs throughout her lifetime.

Like any other dog owner, the Queen wants the very best for her pet pooches and that includes a tailored menu, special travel arrangements, and a specific feeding ritual.

Here we take a peek into the lives of Her Majesty's pampered pooches...

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Tailored menu

It's no secret that members of the royal household have their own weekly menus and that also includes the Queen's pet dogs, too.

Her Majesty is very particular about what her pet dogs eat and she reportedly insists that they have their own personal menus.

Former royal chef Darren McGrady revealed what the pooches' diet entails, saying: "The corgis have their own menu. One day they'll have lamb, one day beef and then another, chicken."

He also added: "We had to make sure that all the meat was cut very finely and diced so there were no bones because we couldn't have them choking."

The Queen has also created her own special gravy recipe, specifically for her beloved pups.

In the book All The Queen's Corgis, author Penny Junor explained the dogs' diets consists of a "variety of fresh, cooked meat, vegetables and rice, prepared specially for them in the royal kitchens, topped with a little biscuit, homoeopathic and herbal remedies when required, and a special gravy that, legend has it, is the Queen's own recipe".

Feeding routine

It's not just their meals which are specially prepared, as the dogs also have a strict feeding ritual.

Animal psychologist Dr Roger Mugford previously worked for Her Majesty, and has opened up about the pooches meal times at Buckingham Palace.

Speaking to Town and Country magazine, he said: "Their food was served by a butler in an eclectic collection of battered silver and porcelain dishes.

"As I watched, the Queen got the corgis to sit in a semi-circle around her, and then fed them one by one, in order of seniority. The others just sat and patiently waited their turn."

Author Penny Junor also wrote in her book, All The Queen's Corgis: "Whenever possible, she [the Queen] feeds them herself and it is an afternoon ritual; but not an unruly frantic free-for-all.

"A footman brings the food and bowls on a silver tray and lays out a plastic sheet to protect the carpet.

"The Queen then sits them in a semi-circle around her and does the rest."

Travelling

The Queen regularly has to travel, but her beloved pooches are never left behind.

She ensures they also travel in style, with previous photographs showing her pets sitting on her lap while travelling in the car.

Her dogs have also been spotted at airports with her, and were once seen at Aberdeen Airport preparing to head off to the Balmoral estate, located in the Scottish Highlands.

Sleeping arrangements

As well as tailored menus and lavish travel arrangements, the Queen's pet dogs also have their very own quarters at the palace.

The dogs reportedly have their own spacious room where they sleep in luxurious raised wicker beds.

And that's not all, as their beds also have fresh sheets put on them daily – a tradition which was first started by the Queen Mother.

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Title:

Content: King Charles Spaniel numbers are declining and the breed is on the Kennel Club's 'vulnerable list' - amid Corgi boom following Queen Elizabeth's death

  • Corgis have seen boom in popularity after Platinum Jubilee and death of Queen
  • Number of Pembroke Welsh Corgis registered with Kennel Club hit 30-year peak
  • But popularity of King Charles Spaniels is continuing to decline, hitting a low
  • Lovers of the breed are hoping sharing name with new King will boost the dogs

Interest in Corgis has boomed following the Platinum Jubilee and the death of Queen Elizabeth, according to the Kennel Club.

Numbers of Pembroke Welsh Corgis registered with the organisation have reached a 30-year high, the Times reports.

Conversely, King Charles Spaniels are continuing to see a decline in their popularity, with lovers of the breed reportedly hoping that sharing a moniker with the new monarch may give the dogs a boost (though the new king prefers Jack Russells).

The breed, which is on the Kennel Club's vulnerable list, hit a low in 2020, with just 56 registrations. This increased to 91 in 2021, but numbers so far this year are so low, it is likely to drop beneath 2020.

The number of Corgis registered with the Kennel Club has reached a 30-year high, with interest growing following the death of the Queen (pictured here in 1980 with three of the dogs)

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (as pictured) are doing well in terms of popularity, although their close relative the King Charles Spaniel (not pictured) is seeing a decline

However, it notes that Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, the original breed from which King Charles diverged in the middle of the century, is doing well, with 3,772 registrations last year.

The original Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog breed was developed from toy spaniels. Popular as women's pets, they were also beloved of King Charles II, who was said to be so fond of his spaniels, he could not be parted from them.

Although Corgis were on the Kennel Club's vulnerable list in 2014, they are now one ofthe UK's most popular breeds, and the Queen is credited with boosting their popularity (pictured: Queen Elizabeth with one of her beloved corgis, Candy)

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi has become known as a symbol of British royalty thanks to its long-standing association with the Queen

Lovers of the ailing King Charles Spaniel may look to the influence the Queen had in turning around the fortune of corgis in recent decades.

The breed was listed as 'vulnerable' in 2014, and the Kennel Club credits Her Majesty's love of the dogs as the major factor in making them one of the UK's most popular breeds today.

Corgis, which have four short legs, a long snout and two huge pointed ears, are famous for being a symbol of British royalty.

HISTORY OF THE CORGI BREED

The word 'Corgi' is Welsh for 'Dwarf Dog', and there are two types; the Pembroke, which is the Queen's breed, and the Cardigan Corgi, a descendent Teckel family of dogs, which also produced the Dachshund

Pembroke Welsh Corgis originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales from the Spitz family of dogs which are characterised by long, thick fur and pointed ears and muzzle

Corgis are a cattle herding breed that can be traced back as far as 1107 AD, thought to have been brought to Wales by  Flemish weavers

They are the type of herding dog referred to as 'heelers', meaning that they would nip at the heels of cattle to keep them moving

The combination of their low height off the ground and the innate agility of Welsh Corgis would allow them to avoid the hooves of the larger animals

They were officially recognised as a native British breed by The Kennel Club in 1928, but Cardigans and Pembrokes weren't seen as separate breeds until 1934

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The Queen owned more than 30 of the sandy, short-legged dogs throughout her reign.

She was gifted her first corgi, called Susan, for her 18th birthday from her late father King George VI. Ten generations of her corgis then descended from Susan.

Her dogs were given the Royal treatment having their own rooms with elevated wicker baskets and meals of beef, chick, rabbit, liver, cabbage and rice being prepared by a chef each evening.

Sometimes the Queen herself made the dog's meals. But her late husband was said to have 'loathed' the dogs' yapping.

She left behind two dogs - Sandy and Muick - who are now cared for by Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York at their Royal Lodge home.

Muick, pronounced Mick, joined the royal family at the start of 2021 along with a so-called 'dorgi', a cross between a corgi and a dachshund, called Fergus.

Fergus, who had been named after the Monarch's uncle who was killed during battle in the First World War, died after just five months.

He was later replaced with a new corgi called Sandy, as a 95th birthday present from Prince Andrew and his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Meanwhile Muick was named after Loch Muick on the Balmoral Estate.

Palace sources speaking to the Daily Mail previously revealed the beloved corgis were 'with [the Queen] in the room' at her deathbed when she died on September 8 at Balmoral.

They then touched people's hearts when they made a poignant appearance at Her Majesty's funeral on September 19.

As the late monarch's coffin made its way from London to its final resting place in Windsor, Muick and Sandy waited for the processional to pass, to see the Queen for one last time.

The dogs were seen waiting in the quadrangle with two aides before the late monarch was laid to rest in St George's Chapel.

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King Charles Spaniel numbers declining amid Corgi boom following Queen Elizabeth's death

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The Queen created the dorgi, a corgi-dachshund cross, when one of her corgis mated with Princess Margaret’s dachshund, producing dogs like Vulcan and Candy.

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Content: Give a paw: 20 photo proofs that dogs are the best friends of monarchs
26.01.2022, 0: 14, Misc
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Dogs in the role of pets of the royal families are a very long time, and especially they are loved by the British royal family.
The main lover of dogs, and it is Corgi, is Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.
The first dog of this breed was presented to her by her father, King George VI, and 7-year-old Princess Elizabeth named the puppy Dookie.
Since then, and especially since the coronation of Elizabeth, Corgi have become residents of Buckingham Palace.
Most of the pets that later lived in the palace are the descendants of this dog.
At the court of Elizabeth II lived a total of more than 30 corgis.
And they became the only living creatures that are allowed to enter the room ahead of the Queen.
At some point, the Queen brought out a new breed – the Dorgi: this happened after one of her corgis had an affair with Princess Margaret ’ s Pipkin Dachshund.
So were born dogs named Vulcan and Candy.
The last corgi of Elizabeth II – 15-year-old Willow – died in 2018.
And in 2015, it was announced that the Queen will no longer breed them, since she has no idea who will take care of the corgi when she is gone.
At the end of 2020, one of her favorite dogs passed away - Dorgi Volcano, who posed with her mistress for Vanity Fair magazine in 2018.
After that, Her Majesty of Great Britain left only one dog, also a breed of Dorgy – Candy.
The coronavirus pandemic made its changes to the Queen ’ s plans: during the lockdown, she was presented with two Dorgy puppies – Fergus and Muick, and the gift was presented by her youngest son, Prince Andrew.
Unfortunately, Fergus died in May 2021.
But in June, in honor of the 100th anniversary of Prince Philip, Andrew bought his mother another puppy.
The future Queen of Great Britain, Princess Elizabeth
Warm feelings for the four-legged were adopted by Prince William and Harry, who got along with dogs since childhood.
In the family of William and Kate Middleton lived cocker spaniel Lupo, which they in 2011 for the wedding gave brother Kate – James, who is engaged in breeding dogs.
In November 2020, the dog was gone, and Middleton Jr. gave them a new puppy, whose name and even sex were unknown.
Probably, the baby, born by the sister of the same Lupo, the couple are very fond – during the last release last week, Kate and William, having met a puppy therapist in a hospital in Lancashire, told reporters that they are glad that their dog (yes, this is “she ”) does not see how they cute communicate with this charming puppy.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana with their sons William and Harriet Middleton and Prince William
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also have their own history of relationships with dogs: now with the spouses in Montecito live beagle Guy and black Labrador retriever Pula.
Dog Guy is a real traveler: the dog moved with Megan to London in 2017 (her second dog she could not take because of the venerable age of the dog), and in 2019, he returned to the United States with his mistress.
The level of attachment of British monarchs to dogs (and not only) was reflected in art: in the summer of 2020, the theme of the annual photo exhibition at Buckingham Palace, which is held when Elizabeth II goes on vacation to Balmoral, was the theme of the love of members of the British royal family for animals.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry with the President and First Lady of Ireland and their dogs, 2018
There are other relatives of Elizabeth II: her son, Prince Edward, and daughter-in-law, Countess Sophie, have two dogs – a black Labrador and a Cocker Spaniel – and even a turtle.
Princess Anne ’ s daughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike are the lucky owners of boxer Sway and two black labradors Storm and Pepper.
And, it seems, they are most loved by the couple ’ s daughters: once in the paparazzi captured the scene of Mia and Lena walking the dogs themselves.
However, due to the fact that the girls were very little, it is difficult to understand who was walking whom at that time.
And the eldest son of the Queen, Prince Charles, and Duchess Camilla live two dogs – Beth and Bluebell, and the second Duchess found on the street.
However, British monarchs are not the only ones who get along well with dogs.
In the Danish royal family (Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Marie) until 2021, there was only one dog – Border Collie Grace.
But in December she gave birth to two puppies.
In the royal family of the Netherlands (King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima), Labrador named Luna, Skipper and Nala live for several years, and in October they had a Mambo puppy.
In Norway, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit have their own pets – Labradoodle Muffin and Millie Cocoa.
This dog once greatly battered the nerves of its owners: in 2017, during a trip to the mountains, where the family was skiing, the dog escaped, but soon found him.
King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustav and Queen Silvia are avid dog owners no less than their “colleague ” Elizabeth: many years ago they had a dog Bingo, and in recent years they see a mongrel Brandi next to them.
Their daughter, Crown Princess Victoria, started the Rio Cavudla in the spring of 2020, which is a cross between a cavalier and a poodle.
We offer you to see a selection of the most interesting, cute, funny, touching photos with the participation of dogs and representatives of monarchies from around the world.
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Maxima with their daughters, 2015 Duchess Camilla and Queen Letizia of Spain in Madrid, 2011 Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Crown Princess Mette-Marit with children, 2018 Kate Middleton at St. Patrick ’ s Day Parade, 2019 Duchess of CamillaPrince Charles Daughters of Zara and Mike Princess Anne and Countess Sophie of WessekPrince EdwardCarolina, Princess of Monaco and Hanover - the eldest daughter of Prince Rainier III of Monaco and Grace Kelly
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Content: Entertainment

“Did you know?” Royal Family special: 10 incredible facts about the British Crown!

However, behind this veil of privacy are some weird and wonderful facts that you might not believe.

Find out why the Queen has not one, but TWO birthdays, how she created a new breed of dog and other weird and wonderful facts about the royal family.

1. The Queen has TWO birthdays

Of course, even monarchs can only be born once. But that does not prevent the queen from celebrating two birthdays. She prefers to spend time with her family members on her real birthday, April 21. His “official” (not actual) birthday, which may vary across the Commonwealth, is usually on the second Monday in June and is marked by parades in the capital.

The reason Her Majesty has two birthdays?

The good old British days.

In 1748, King George II (who was born in October) decided to combine the annual summer military march with his own birthday celebrations. Since then, all monarchs have done the same.

2. You’re not supposed to touch them

The rule is that no one other than a member of the royal family physically touches a member of the royal family, especially the monarch. But this rule is often ignored these days. Michelle Obama hugged the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2009. It’s supposed to be a big no-no, but the Queen apparently agreed to do it — some say she even initiated it.

3. You cannot access the throne by marrying one of them

There is no point in planning to marry a member of the royal family in the hope of hatching a plot to seize the throne. No one who marries a member of the royal family can ever ascend the throne. If you married a monarch, your title would be either queen or king-consort.

4. The Queen sets the tone for dinner parties

Eating with kings and queens can feel like a race for guests, only because as soon as the monarch stops eating, everyone has to put down their knife and fork. Sure, royal dinners are pretty lavish, but if you don’t want anything to go to waste, you better keep up.

5. They make their own money

Many people think that royals only get money from the taxpayer, but they actually have many sources of income. Their main income comes from the Duchy of Lancaster, a portfolio of residential, agricultural and commercial properties. And then, of course, many people visit London just to see the royal mansions, like Kensington Palace and Clarence House.

6. The Queen doesn’t need a passport

Although this is a little-known fact, it makes sense when you think about it: all British passports are issued in Her Majesty’s name. Why would Her Majesty need permission from herself to go abroad? The Queen is one of the only people in the world who does not need a passport to travel abroad.

7. They Can’t Play Monopoly

It may sound weird, but members of the royal family aren’t supposed to play Monopoly. It seems that, like the rest of us, even royalty isn’t immune to the inevitable internal feuds and conflicts. In 2008, the Duke of York revealed that apparently the traditional Christmas game was getting a little too vicious in the Mountbatten-Windsor family.

8. Many of them are buried in Westminster Abbey

Coronations, weddings and even royal funerals have taken place at Westminster Abbey. Seventeen British monarchs are buried within its grounds, the first being King Edward in the 13th century. All Tudor monarchs except Henry III are also buried here. Pay your respects by visiting the royal tombs on an abbey tour.

9. The Queen invented a breed of dog

The Queen is famous for her love of corgis, and when one of them mated with a dachshund, she created the new mixed breed dog Dorgi. Thanks to their loyalty, intelligence and kindness, almost all Dorgis are said to be as lovable and affectionate as they are cute.

10. They own a lot of property

The Crown Estate holdings are estimated at £14billion and span the whole of the UK in all sorts of niches including:

the royal palaces
Farms and Agriculture
Forestry and parks
Shops and residences
Minerals, including gold and silver
And many more. They also own the rights to racetracks such as Royal Ascot and even shopping malls.

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Her corgis received royal treatment, including specially prepared menus, silver feeding rituals, dedicated sleeping quarters, and tailored travel arrangements.

Her visible affection and public presence with corgis, including corgi imagery during her Platinum Jubilee and the dogs being noted near her at her death and funeral, strengthened their cultural association with British royalty.

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Content: Sunday, Sep 11, 2022

Annual ‘Tour de Corgi’ event to include new ‘Queen Elizabeth’ costume category to honour the monarch

“We all have a very strong affection for her as a fellow corgi lover," Tour de Corgi founder Tracy Stewart was quoted as saying

Queen Elizabeth II is seen walking in the private grounds of Windsor Castle, in England, on steps at the rear of the East Terrace and East Garden with four of her dogs: clockwise from top left Willow (corgi), Vulcan (dorgie), Candy (dorgie) and Holly (AP/PTI)

As a tribute to the late UK monarch Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away at the age of 96 at her Balmoral estate in Scotland on September 8, after reigning for 70 long years, the Tour de Corgi parade — an annual event that celebrates the dog breed corgi — will include a new element this year that is likely to make fans of the British royal family and corgi lovers happy.

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It is no secret that the queen was extremely fond of dogs, especially corgis, from a very early age, and that she had been breeding them until 2018, when she finally realised that she may have to leave some of them behind after her death.

According to Country Living, the queen had four dogs at the time of her death: two Pembroke Welsh Corgis, a Dorgi (Corgi-Dachshund mix), and a Cocker Spaniel named Lissy, who joined the family only this year, in January 2022.

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In her lifetime, she reportedly bred 14 generations of corgis, and even famously declared: “My corgis are family.”

According to an Independent report, Queen Elizabeth‘s love for her four-legged friends was well-documented during this year’s platinum jubilee celebrations in the UK, when the sky above Buckingham Palace was lit up with images of the dog breed.

The publication mentioned that the Tour de Corgi parade this year — which has been taking place in Fort Collins, Colorado since 2014 — will include a “Queen Elizabeth and her corgis” costume competition, in “memorium and to honour her”, quoting the event’s organisers who shared this with a local newspaper ‘The Coloradoan‘.

This is a May 12, 1973 file photo of Queen Elizabeth II sitting with her corgis, at Virginia Water to watch competitors, including Prince Philip in the Marathon of the European Driving Championship, part of the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Tour de Corgi founder Tracy Stewart was quoted as saying, “We all have a very strong affection for her as a fellow corgi lover. I think it is just, you know, our dogs are such a big part of our hearts that it creates a very heartfelt connection.”

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The aforementioned event will take place on October 1, 2022, and will conclude with a corgi parade through the town.

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According to a Reader’s Digest report, the queen was fond of corgis because of their “energy and untamed spirit”, and the fact that her parents welcomed the family’s first corgi, Dookie, in 1933. Eleven years later, in 1944, the queen’s father gifted her a corgi named Susan for her 18th birthday. The pupper even accompanied her on her honeymoon, and gave birth to a pair of puppies in 1949, which reportedly marked the beginning of the royal line of corgis.

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First published on: 11-09-2022 at 07:10:45 pm
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The Kennel Club and news reports credit the Queen with helping to boost corgi registrations from a previously vulnerable listing to one of the UK's most popular breeds, with registrations hitting a multi-decade peak after the Platinum Jubilee and her death.

Her corgis inspired public events and tributes, such as the Tour de Corgi adding a 'Queen Elizabeth' costume category in her honour.

Historically the breed served as a working herding dog in Wales and beyond, with documentary evidence of herding activity as early as about 800 AD.

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ABC Rural

Corgis bred for herding livestock long before Queen Elizabeth II made them famous

By Sophie Johnson
Posted

While corgis are synonymous with the late Queen Elizabeth II, it might be a surprise to know the tiny breed is still used as a working dog in Australia.

The Queen had 30 corgis as pets over her lifetime, giving the breed its international recognition.

But the dog has been used for centuries to herd livestock.

Jean Milnes herds south of Adelaide with her female corgi, Tirion.

"[Corgis] have been herding since the Middle Ages at least, there is documentary evidence of them herding back in about 800AD," she said.

"I just got into it because I thought this would be fun to do to see if she could remember what her ancestors used to do."

Exercising instincts

There are few corgi herders in Australia now, but Ms Milne is hoping the popularity will boom after the death of the Queen, returning the breed to its farming roots.

"I still have the conversation with people who think corgis are wonderful, associate them with being the Queen's dog, and don't realise that they actually have a job to do," Ms Milnes said.

"There is ... going to be an influx of people wanting corgis for the next year or so, and it would be nice if they did something more than just go to the dog park."

Her corgi trains for herding competitions.

"We should be doing things that … dogs enjoy as well," she said.

"They need to be given the opportunity to achieve things.

"I think it is very important in any breed to maintain what they were intended to do."

Big brain, little legs

National Welsh Corgi Council secretary Sadie Podger said the dogs were very intelligent, which was needed when herding animals.

"Years ago … the farmers found that these dogs are actually quite smart and adapt to their conditions that they're in and found that they were the better of all the cattle type dogs that they had," she said.

Ms Podger said corgis were known as herd heelers because they could nip the rear legs of livestock to guide and direct the animal.

"When they herd they can roll from one side … of the cattle to the other side with that, and then sort of directing the cattle to where they want it, because cattle can be quite stubborn."

"They're low to the ground so they can drop their head a little bit, and basically the hoof goes over the top of their head where a taller dog could get hit in the head."

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Together, these documented facts—her continuous ownership, breeding line from Susan, public displays, royal care and media moments—explain how the Queen helped transform corgis into cultural icons linked to British royalty and increased their global popularity.

Conclusion: Queen Elizabeth II’s lifelong love, public visibility, and breeding of corgis made them cultural icons and significantly boosted their worldwide popularity.