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The Greek royal family pays tribute to former King Constantine II of Greece at an Orthodox ceremony in Athens marking 40 days since his death.
European royalty have gathered in Athens to pay tribute to former King Constantine II of Greece at a memorial service marking 40 days since his death.
The royals, including former Crown Prince Pavlos, Constantine’s son Anna-Maria, his widow, and former Queen Sofia of Spain, his sister, were photographed paying their respects while kneeling at the Athens Metropolitan Cathedral. .
In the Greek Orthodox tradition, the 40th day after someone passes away is an important milestone and is often marked in some way as it relates to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead after 40 days.
The memorial service for the late former king follows a grand funeral last month attended by royal families from around the world, after he passed away at the age of 82 on January 10.
Representing the UK royal family at the funeral, Princess Anne, who was the Greek king’s second cousin, looked stoic as she entered Athens Cathedral with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.
Members of the Greek royal family gathered at the Athens Metropolitan Cathedral to pay their respects to former King Constantine II at a memorial service marking 40 days since his death on January 10. Queen Sofia of Spain (left) joined her nephew, former Crown Prince Pavlos (2nd from right), his wife Marie-Chantal (2nd from left) and Constantine’s widow (right) in pay tribute.
Members of the royal family looked solemn at the memorial service for the late former king
The Cathedral was filled with mourners who marked the life of the former King exiled during World War II
Mourners gathered for the memorial service at the Cathedral to mark 40 days since the death of King Constantine II
The memorial ceremony is common in the Greek Orthodox tradition, which places great importance on the 40th day after a person’s death.
Crown Prince Pavlos, who is now the head of the Greek royal family, joined family members outside the cathedral, including Anna-Maria and her brother Prince Nikolaos (second from left)
Queen Sofia of Spain attended the funeral with Princess Cristina of Spain and Princess Irene of Spain
While no members of the UK royal family were in attendance today, the former Princess Sofia of Spain, wife of former King Juan Carlos, traveled to Athens to pay her respects.
The Greek-born royal is the sister of former King Constantine II. She left the Greek Orthodox religion to convert to Catholicism before marrying King Juan Carlos of Spain in 1962.
Today he stood with his head bowed in the Cathedral, with the widow of the late ex-monarch Anna-Maria showing an equally solemn figure.
According to Orthodox tradition, it is common to observe a mourning period in the 40 days after a person’s death in which loved ones tend to avoid gatherings and observe black clothing.
Among the grieving women, former Crown Prince Pavlos and his wife Marie-Chantal knelt with bowed heads.
At the late former monarch’s funeral in January, European royalty including Prince Albert of Monaco, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, and King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia descended on Athens to present their respects.
Constantine’s coffin was draped in a Greek flag as the public was invited into the chapel to say goodbye to the former monarch.
Deputy Prime Minister Pangagiotis Pikrammenos and Minister of Culture and Sports Lina Mendoni represented the Greek government at the service.
After the public funeral of the former Greek monarch, whose family was exiled from Greece during World War II, a private ceremony followed at the Tatoi Palace.