Fearful of their impending arrests, Paul, George, other members of the royal family, and some government officials agreed to flee the mainland and land in Crete on 9 April. The island however was very underfortified and under heavy attacks from the Luftwaffe. George asked the British government if they could stay in British Cyprus, alongside the cabinet and some 50,000 Greek soldiers. By 22 April, almost everyone but Paul and George had left Athens. George and Paul set up a temporary headquarters in Chania with their cousin, Prince Peter. George was given the title of "Number 1 enemy of the Reich in Greece" by Hitler and all three royals were forced to evacuate the island when the Fallschirmjäger commenced an attack. Paul, George and Peter narrowly escaped the Fallschirmjäger by taking the British ship from Sfakia to Alexandria, where the rest of the royal family had fled to.
Fearful of their impending arrests, Paul, George, other members of the royal family, and some government officials agreed to flee the mainland and land in Crete on 9 April. The island however was very underfortified and under heavy attacks from the Luftwaffe. George asked the British government if they could stay in British Cyprus, alongside the cabinet and some 50,000 Greek soldiers. By 22 April, almost everyone but Paul and George had left Athens George and Paul set up a temporary headquarters in Chania with their cousin, Prince Peter. George was given the title of "Number 1 enemy of the Reich in Greece" by Hitler and all three royals were forced to evacuate the island when the Fallschirmjäger commenced an attack. Paul, George and Peter narrowly escaped the Fallschirmjäger by taking the British ship from Sfakia to Alexandria, where the rest of the royal family had fled to.