In Athens the largest royal gathering of the latest king- Corriere.it

The grand farewell to Greece’s last monarch, King Constantine II, began in the chapel next to Athens Cathedral where people queuing from dawn until 10 a.m. to enter were able to pay their last respects to the monarch (and they’re not missing out on selfies). Then the remains of the last king were transferred to the cathedral, where the three sons were Crown Prince Pavlos, Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark, and Prince Philipos of Greece and Denmark In front of the sarcophagus, they revealed the motifs and symbols of the king’s earthly power.

Meanwhile, Europe’s royals gather in Athens for the biggest royal gathering since Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022 in London, a private funeral in Athens for Greece’s last monarch, Constantine II. Constantine was related to half of Europe’s Gotha – The first royal to arrive at the Athena Cathedral was Prince Albert II of Monaco. And it was
Cousin to varying degrees (almost) all Windsor. until the Prince William with Kate He arrived in Athens to say goodbye to the king, who lived in exile in London until 2013 and then returned to his homeland (after asking the European Court of Human Rights for the return of his property).

And not only them, but also Princess Royal Anna and her brother, Prince Edward Elizabeth and Philip’s sons represent the Windsor family. After all, Prince Philip was a first cousin to the father of the former King of Greece Constantine who died at the age of 82 on January 10 in London. King Charles III, the new King of Britain, was his second cousin. In fact, Elizabeth II was also the third cousin of the former King of Greece. With Philip, and with the mother of the Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Alice, he shared the sad fate of exile. First in Rome, then in London.

Greek Orthodox funeral in the same cathedral where he got married and where the king’s remains could be received in the morning by the people for a few hours in the nearby church. He accepted the burial “as an ordinary citizen” as decided by a cabinet meeting of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who refused to request a state funeral as a former head of state.

The government also refused the royal family’s request for a public buriallest it become a summons. Thus, the former king of Greece will rest in the estate of Tatoi, north of Athens.

The Glucksbergs of former King Constantine and the Hellenistic royalists scored a first victory with a last-minute change of plans in Athens.: At the funeral, the government will be represented by the Deputy Prime Minister, Panagiotis Pekramenos, instead of the Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, as was initially expected. The change is linked specifically to the high rate of royal heads of state expected in Athens for the funeral, which will conclude with a memorial dinner at a grand hotel in the capital.

Work has been going on for days at the Tatoi Summer Palace to prepare the burial site for the last kings and where they will arrive Two hundred of the royal family. A thousand policemen will be deployed to ensure members of the royal family and heads of state. An exceptional setting.

But – they informed the royal family in London, there will be no official connection to the transfer of the Princes of Wales. Their presence in Athens will be special. And with them in the possession of Tatoi they will also find themselves indiscreet King Felipe of Spain with Queen Letizia, and Juan Carlos with Queen SofiaHonorary Kings.

Sophia, King Philip’s mother, was actually born Sophia of Greece, sister of the previous King Constantine. Not only that but Crown Prince Haakon of Norway with his wife Mette-Marit and King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden, with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and the new doin of Europe after Elizabeth’s death: Margaret of Denmark accompanied by Crown Prince Frederick. They will join members The former royal houses of Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia.

King Constantine lived across the Channel, in London in a beautiful house by Hampstead Gardens. Brilliant and athletic, he was the Olympic gold medalist in sailing at the 1960 Rome Games and sat as an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee. My heart is always filled with nostalgia for the quickly lost kingdom, having inherited it at the age of 23 by the death of his father in March 1964, with the beautiful princess by his side. Anne Marie of Denmark (youngest child of King Frederick IX of Denmark) Who will become his wife, with whom he will have five children.

The beginning of a turbulent season in which the government of George Papandreou, who soon clashed with the king, was trying to deal with a coup. Regarding the colonel’s coup, and accusations that he was too obedient, Constantine would admit years later that he had no choice since the royal palace was surrounded.

Together with the royalists, he will try to regain power, but to no avail. The end of the monarchy in Athens. In 1974, a coronary referendum would give a meager 31% of the vote, putting an end to any dream of a return to the throne.