The image of King Juan Carlos leaning on the arm of his son, Felipe VI, at the exit of the mass in memory of Constantine of Greece, which was held in Windsor, opens a new stage after years in which there has been avoided a photo of the two together. After their public meetings at the funeral of Isabel II (in September 2022); of Constantine (last year in Athens) and also the times they have seen each other in Madrid, for the coming of age of Princess Leonor (last October 31), and the 60th birthday of Infanta Elena (on December 20 ), it is the first time, except for an image of a fleeting kiss in the Tatoi cemetery, since Juan Carlos’ self-exile in Abu Dhabi, in which father and son have been seen together, arm in arm and with obvious gestures of closeness familiar.
Like ordinary families, royal families, although they do not have regular contact, also meet again at funerals. Kings Felipe and Letizia, their predecessors, Juan Carlos and Sofia, the infantas Elena and Cristina; Ana María de Grecia with her children, Alexia, Pablo, Nicolás, Teodora and Philippos; children-in-law, Carlos Morales, Marie Chantal Miller, Tatiana Blatnik and Nina Flohr, and grandchildren, in addition to Queen Camilla, Princess Anne; Prince Andrew and other members of the English royal family gathered, this Tuesday, in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, for a mass in memory of Constantine of Greece, who died a year ago in Athens, aged 82. years. Charles III and Kate Middleton have been on sick leave; Prince William, godson of the deceased, has justified his absence for personal reasons.
Constantine of Greece served as king for just over three years but throughout his life he was treated as such by the rest of the royal houses of Europe, all united by ties of kinship. This Tuesday, once again, the royal families gathered to pay tribute to him at a Thanksgiving mass held in the chapel of Windsor Castle. The English royal family has given up that temple for a ceremony organized by Paul of Greece, head of the Greek royal house, who retains the title of prince but no longer serves as a claimant to the throne of Greece, a role from which his father did not abdicate until In fact, he agreed to return to his country and live in anonymity.
At her funeral in Athens, held on January 16 of last year, almost as many representatives of royal houses attended as had attended, three months earlier, the funeral services for Queen Elizabeth of England. This Tuesday, the level was also very high although somewhat less in the range of the attendees.
The British royal house, which has provided logistical support to the Greek house for the celebration of the mass, has provided the guest list, headed by the Windsors.
Queen Camilla; Princess Anne with her husband, Vice Admiral Tim Laurence, her daughter Zara with Mike Tindall; Prince Andrew, with his daughter Beatrice and also, Sarah Ferguson, still Duchess of York; the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, with two of his children; Alexandra of Kent and her children; the prince and princess of Kent; and Sarah Chato, daughter of Princess Margaret, and her husband. Charles III, on sick leave, has not attended, nor, for the same reason, has the Princess of Wales. Guillermo, who is the deceased’s godson, has excused his presence citing personal reasons.
The Greek royal family has attended in full. From Denmark, where Queen Anne Maria is from, Princess Benedicta has traveled with her children; of Holland, Prince Constantine; representing the royal house of Bulgaria, Prince Kyril; by the Serbian royal house, Prince Alexander: and also Noor of Jordan, widow of King Hussein, as well as Prince Hassan, son of the current King Abdalà of Jordan. ,
King Felipe and Letizia traveled last night from Valencia to London and this afternoon they plan to return to Madrid. Kings Juan Carlos and Sofia, Infantas Elena and Cristina and Juan Urdangarin will remain in the British capital since a new funeral for Constantine is scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, in the Orthodox Cathedral of London, this time open to the public.
At the funeral in Windsor, Kings Felipe and Letizia sat, in the third row, next to King Juan Carlos, separated by other guests, from the Infantas Elena and Cristina, while Queen Sofia sat in the first row. along with his sister, Irene, and the children and widow of King Constantine. After the ceremony, Queen Camilla offers an agape to the guests in the private rooms of Windsor Castle.
