Good Morning Britain 's Susanna Reid has hit out at Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall's trip to Greece, which they are taking to celebrate the country's 200th anniversary of its independence.
Their two-day excursion came just days after the government announced that from Monday, members of the public would be fined £5,000 if they left the country to go on holiday.
Susanna, who was hosting the show alongside Adil Ray, explained that the Royal couple were allowed to take the trip because it counted as work - but questioned their taste given the timing.
"Again, it is an issue of restrictions and what we’re allowed to do and the royals are allowed to go to Greece right now," said Susanna.
"The Prince of Wales says he is delighted to be back, he’s paying tribute to a country where his father was born, as we know, almost 100 years ago.
"They are there on a two-day trip to celebrate the Bicentenary of Greece’s Independence and so a lovely trip for them!
"They are doing their international duty, of course, masked and distanced, but it’s an interesting time to do it, isn’t it?
"When the country has been told that from Monday there will be a £5,000 fine if you go on holiday."
She asked: "Are we being churlish by saying that there’s one rule for royals, or if you have essential work reasons, and for everybody else holidays are unlikely?”
International travel was already banned in most circumstances under the lockdown rules but the law is being tweaked for when the stay-at-home order lifts on March 29.
Under the new laws, non-essential foreign travel will be banned until June 30 - unless ministers bring in new rules to speed up the timetable.
Many viewers agreed with Susanna, as one tweeted: "Why are Prince Charles and Camilla in Athens? Not a great message to the rest of us who are threatened with a £5k fine if we go abroad. #GMB ".
Another moaned: " #GMB We're all in it together...Charlie and his missus going to Greece for Bicentennial Independence Day, but people with relatives who've passed away in another country can't travel to attend the funeral to pay their last respects!"
A third branded the trip a "pointless visit to Greece" while a fourth wrote: #gmb £5000 fine for going on holiday but royals have a golden passport. One rule for the rich one rule for the poor.
But others came to the Prince's defence, as one wrote: "Prince Charles isn’t on holiday! He’s working ffs #gmb ".
"They were invited by the Greek government as it’s 200th anniversary of Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire," added another.
"They are working it’s not just a holiday! Stop crying about it! #gmb " added a third, while another remarked: "They are not on holiday ...official duties... yes ur being churlish @susannareid100 #GMB ".
* Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV at 6am
