Prince Michael of Kent has made a rare public appearance amid
continuing concern for the health of his wife, Princess Michael of
Kent,
following reports earlier this year that she had suffered a
stroke.
The late Queen’s cousin attended a ceremony at King’s College
London on Tuesday, where he presented the Anglo-Hellenic League’s
prestigious Runciman Award to writer Julian Hoffman for his book
Lifelines: Searching for Home in the Mountains of
Greece.
The engagement marked an uncommon public outing for the
83-year-old royal and comes months after Princess Michael, 81, was
reported to be recovering from a series of serious health
setbacks.
Friends previously claimed the princess, whose full name is
Marie Christine von Reibnitz, had suffered a stroke and was
confined to bed. The reports followed a difficult period during
which she underwent heart surgery and suffered injuries after
falling at Kensington Palace.
Against that backdrop, Prince Michael’s appearance at the
literary awards ceremony was likely to be welcomed by royal
watchers.
During the event, held in the Great Hall of King’s College
London, the prince presented the £10,000 Runciman Award to Julian
Hoffman for his acclaimed work Lifelines: Searching for Home in
the Mountains of Greece.
The book, a blend of memoir and nature writing, explores life in
the remote Prespa region of northern Greece, where the borders of
Greece, Albania and North Macedonia meet.
Sofka Zinovieff, chair of the judging panel, described the work
as “a remarkable work of literature”, praising its vivid depiction
of both the natural world and rural life.
Accepting the award, Hoffman said the book had been nearly 25
years in the making and reflected the life he and his wife had
built after leaving London for northern Greece.
“Books can, and do, change lives,” he said.
Professor Kevin Featherstone, chair of the Anglo-Hellenic
League’s council, praised the winning book as “a wonderful
evocation of a life transplanted from London to the mountains of
northern Greece”.
The annual prize recognises English-language works focused on
Greece or Hellenism and is named after the distinguished historian
Sir Steven Runciman.
Prince Michael has long maintained an interest in Hellenic
affairs and cultural organisations, making him a fitting presenter
for the award.
