Funeral of Constantine II
Top European royals gathered in Athens
Not only Willem-Alexander, Máxima and Beatrix of the Netherlands traveled to Athens for the funeral service for Constantine II.
© imago/PPE
Many royals gather in Athens for the funeral of Constantine II, including King Willem-Alexander, King Felipe and Princess Anne.
Europe’s royals have arrived in Athens to bid farewell to Constantine II of Greece (1940-2023). The last king of Greece died on January 10 at the age of 82. Not only numerous Greeks came together in the run-up to the funeral service. Among the guests at the funeral, which will take place this Monday (January 16), is Princess Anne (72), along with numerous other members of the European aristocracy. She was a second cousin of the Greek ex-king.
Constantine’s son, the former Crown Prince Pavlos (55), also welcomed King Felipe VI. (54) and Letizia (50) of Spain. Felipe’s parents, former King Juan Carlos (85) and his wife Sofia (84) – a sister of the deceased – are also in Athens. Prince Albert II of Monaco (64) has also traveled to Greece, as shown in pictures waving to the mourning crowd. King Willem-Alexander (55) and Queen Máxima (51) of the Netherlands with Beatrix (84), Princess of the Netherlands, and King Carl XVI also attended the service. Gustaf (76) and Queen Silvia (79) of Sweden. King Philippe (62) and Queen Mathilde (49) of Belgium and Queen Margrethe of Denmark (82), Constantine II’s sister-in-law, also attended the funeral service.
Long years in exile
Constantine II was appointed heir to the throne in 1947 and ascended it in 1964. In the year of his accession to the throne, he married the Danish Princess Anna-Maria (76), a sister of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. About three years later, however, a military coup followed before the monarchy in Greece was officially abolished in 1974. From 1967 he lived in exile with his wife, first in Rome and later in London. The two only returned to Greece in 2013.