Thousands of mourners gathered from early morning at the Athens Metropolitan Cathedral to bid farewell to Constantine II, the last King of Greece. He was the brother of Queen Sofia, who passed away last Tuesday at the age of 82.
Although the government designated the funeral as a private ceremony since Greece abolished the monarchy in 1974 and there was no royal chapel planned, the family ultimately invited the public to approach the coffin for a few hours, honoring a long tradition of public remembrance.
Only Panayiotis Pikramenos, deputy prime minister, and Lina Mendoni, the culture minister, were scheduled to attend officially. Nevertheless, numerous politicians from the conservative New Democracy party indicated they would join the ceremony or stay for the visit to the chapel, including former prime minister Antonis Samaras.
Police reported that about 5,000 people had already arrived at the cathedral, with attendees not only from the capital but also from across the country by bus and other transport.
Constantine II’s mortal remains were placed in the small Ayios Eleftherios chapel beside the cathedral from six in the morning local time (4:00 GMT).
At 10:30, the body was to be moved inside the temple, and at noon (10:00 GMT) the burial would take place, presided over by the Archbishop of Athens and the Orthodox Church. Jerome II oversaw the service before the remains were transferred to the former royal estates at Tatoi, where Constantine would join his parents Paul I and Frederick of Hanover.
Many who had queued for more than an hour before dawn paused to kiss the coffin and pay their respects, while the Greek royal flag stood nearby. Voices singing or shouting long live the king or immortal were heard among the crowd.
Spiridoula Koi, a devoted admirer of Constantine II, spoke to EFE about the affection for both Constantine and Queen Sofia, and she mused that the monarchy might be restored if it depended on her. She noted that a royalist belief still resonates strongly among some segments of Greek society.
In the crowd, people spoke of the enduring symbol of monarchy and its unresolved place in modern Greek memory. The declaration on a royal emblem visible on a vintage ID card carried the motto The fight continues, reflecting a sentiment held by some royal supporters for decades.
An estimated 200 people were expected to attend the funeral, with roughly 130 coming from abroad, including several monarchs. Among the foreign dignitaries were the King of Spain, accompanied by Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia, along with family members including Irene and Constantine’s children, as they prepared for the final days in Athens.
The Spanish royal party traveled from Abu Dhabi, marking a significant moment as it was the first royal assembly of this scale since September of the previous year. Elena and Cristina, young royal members, were also present in Athens for the ceremonies.
In addition to Constantine’s immediate family, the guest list included Queen Margrethe of Denmark, sister to Constantine’s wife Anne-Marie, along with Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Joachim, and Princess Benedicta. The Swedish royal house was represented by King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, with the Dutch, Belgian, and Luxembourgish royal families also in attendance. Heads of state from Monaco, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg joined in, and from outside Europe, Princess Noor of Jordan and Princess Raiyah attended the proceedings as well.
As the ceremonies concluded and the last goodbyes were spoken, the city of Athens prepared to honor a king who remained a potent symbol for many, even after a referendum decades earlier ended the constitutional monarchy. The events reflected a country still debating its past with reverence and a sense of national identity that transcends political changes.
Thousands watched as the final chapters were written in the life of Constantine II, a figure who, for some, embodied a link to a bygone era and a symbol of continuity for a portion of the Greek people.