The recent visit to Athens of a Doughty Street Chambers legal team, which included Amal Clooney, in order to discuss the Greek State’s legal options regarding the Parthenon marbles in the British Museum, has been covered extensively by the international press. While many reports have focused on the more “glamorous” aspects of her recent marriage to Hollywood actor George Clooney, the British media has been particularly scathing in its coverage.
The Daily Telegraph cited the British Museum’s claims of “legally owning” the marbles and regulations which disallow the splitting up of the museum’s collections. The Daily Mail focused on Mrs. Clooney’s sartorial options and offered its readers tips on how to copy her look. The Times noted that the visit has added some “glamour” to the Greek government’s efforts to repatriate the marbles and commented on the Greek media coverage of the Mrs. Clooney’s visit. The Guardian also reported on the Greek media frenzy and likened the coverage to a “media circus”.
The French press on the contrary was more supportive, with Le Monde calling Mrs. Clooney the “monument woman of the Parthenon” – a clear reference to the film on the efforts to salvage monuments during WWII which her husband directed. The French newspaper also noted that the Greek claims are “fair” and that Mrs. Clooney’s visit managed to highlight the case.
