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GreeceSpain

Queen Sofía visibly moved at the graves of her parents ahead of brother’s burial

Queen Sofía of Spain, accompanied by members of the Greek Royal Family, arrived at Tatoi Palace, in Athens, to go visit the graves of her parents, King Paul and Queen Frederica, and supervise the creation of what looks like a new plot to bury King Constantine II. 

The family, consisting specifically of Queen Sofía, Queen Anne-Marie, Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana, Prince Philippos and Princess Nina, and Princess Irene, arrived at Tatoi Palace around 11 am on Thursday, 12th January.

Queen Sofía was photographed looking especially moved in front of the tombs of her parents; Queen Frederica was the first royal to be buried on Tatoi’s grounds after the monarchy was abolished.

The former Spanish Queen, who is also King Constantine’s older sister, lived in Tatoi Palace until her wedding to then-Infante Juan Carlos of Spain when her name was changed from the Greek Sophia to the Spanish Sofía. 

The Minister of Culture and Sport, Lina Mendoni, was at Tatoi Palace on Wednesday to check on the progress of the works. She will be the representative of the government and has also been put in charge of “shaping the space,” according to media sources. 

The Greek royals have also been photographed on Wednesday as they came out of the meeting with members of the Greek government, during which they discussed potential funeral arrangements. It was from that meeting that emerged the ultimate decision that King Constantine II would not be granted a State Funeral. 

The former King of the Hellenes will instead be laid to rest in a private ceremony in Athens’ Metropolitan Cathedral, which was also the backdrop of the late monarch and Queen Anne-Marie’s wedding. The funeral ceremony will be followed by a private burial at Tatoi Palace’s Royal Cemetery.

The funeral service will be performed by Archbishop Hieronymos, the current Archbishop of Athens and All Greece; by virtue of holding this title, he is also the primate of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Greece.