December 23rd 2024.
It was a day filled with heartfelt emotion for the former royal family of Greece as they learned of the government's decision to restore their Greek citizenship. The news put an end to a long-standing dispute that had been ongoing for decades.
The monarchy in Greece was abolished in 1974 through a referendum, which resulted in the former royal family losing their citizenship. This was further compounded twenty years later when they were stripped of their citizenship during a heated argument over the royal estate, which was eventually taken over by the state.
But in a surprising turn of events, the government announced on Friday that they would be granting citizenship to ten members of the former royal family. This included the five children of the late King Constantine II and his wife, Queen Anne-Marie, as well as five of their grandchildren.
In a statement released in both Greek and English, the former royal family expressed their gratitude and deep emotion at being granted citizenship once again. They also touched upon the difficult years they faced after being rendered stateless by the 1994 law, which not only took away their citizenship but also affected their individual rights and caused them great distress.
The statement also acknowledged that while their family had always respected the outcome of the 1974 referendum, they believed that the 1994 law was not befitting of a former head of state and the institution that had served the country faithfully. The passing of King Constantine marked the end of an era for the family, and they were grateful to have their citizenship restored after thirty long years.
King Constantine, who passed away last year at the age of 82, had returned to Greece only in his 70s. He had always been a controversial figure, with some accusing him of being too involved in political rivalries during his reign from 1964 to 1973. He was eventually ousted during a military dictatorship, which ended the following year.
The royal family's ties extended beyond Greece, with King Constantine's marriage to Danish princess Anne-Marie, and his sister, Queen Sofia of Spain. He was also second cousin to Britain's King Charles III and godfather to Prince William.
In order to bring an end to the dispute, King Constantine's children agreed to adopt a new surname, "De Grece," which means "of Greece" in French. They also formally recognized Greece as a presidential parliamentary democracy and relinquished any claims to royal authority or titles.
As the news of the family's citizenship being reinstated spread, government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis shared his thoughts on the matter, stating that democracy had been restored in Greece for over 50 years, and the country now had a strong constitution and laws that applied to everyone without any exceptions.
The five children of King Constantine, Alexia, Pavlos, Nikolaos, Theodora, and Philippos, all received citizenship, as well as Pavlos' five children: Maria-Olympia, Constantine-Alexios, Achileas-Andreas, Odysseas-Kimon, and Aristidis-Stavros. However, other members of the royal family, including former Queen Anne-Marie, did not apply for citizenship.
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