Grandson of Sultan Abdulhamid voices discontent over Yildiz Palace reopening

The Yildiz Palace in Istanbul’s Besiktas, which has recently undergone extensive restoration, landscaping, and enhancements by the Presidency of the National Palaces, was officially reopened to the public today in a ceremonial event.

In his speech at the ceremony, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced: “From today, this site will be open for free visits until the end of next month, including the remainder of this month.”

‘I have a perfect palace’

Following the inauguration, Orhan Osmanoglu, the grandson of Sultan Abdulhamid II, who did not attend the event, issued a statement.

Osmanoglu expressed his satisfaction with the palace’s reopening but noted, “Yildiz Palace is open to visitors. I am very happy about this news. We were not invited. Being the grandson of Sultan Abdulhamid Khan is not enough. I guess you need to be Ibrahim Tatlises, Orhan Gencebay. Now those who love us will question us. Or those who don’t like us will say what are you doing here, your era is over. These words don’t matter at all. I have a perfect palace, three rooms and a living room, 260 square meters and we have followers from the perfectly modest commoners. My position is clear, I am the head of a charity organization. I am someone who stands by humanity and oppressed peoples.”