Greek Royal Family - Photos from the past

[Kelly]

I don't understand the reason of the title...
Can anyone explain to me, please?

I must say I am confused also. Was there a miscarriage or what is up with the title?

 

[BeatrixFan]

Anne-Marie has since said in an interview that she miscarried in Rome. I think it was the latest interview for Billet Bladet (sp?). If it wasn't, perhaps someone can find the quote but she did say that she had had a miscarriage in Rome. I didn't know that it was publicised at the time though.

 

[Her_Majesty]

Great pictures!
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=167723&d=1121121996
They were (still are) such a cute couple!

 

[ladejesus]

Great pictures!
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=167723&d=1121121996
They were (still are) such a cute couple!

This is such a beautiful picture. They look so in love and happy. A truly fantastic couple.

 

[*SofiaM*]

I am constantly amazed by Anne-Marie! She is so attractive and certainly does not look 60! Her and Constantine look such a great couple...

 

[iceflower]

Another cover of the young family:

(Semana)

 

[wartenberg7]

I´m looking for some official portraits to mark the 18th birthday of the then Crownprince Constantine!
I know there are some photos on this Forum about his coming-of-age-ceremony, but that´s not what I´m looking for; may be someone (greek?) could help and scan something from old magazines (1958)
or books?! Would be great!

 

[wartenberg7]

A few more pics of Konstain as child.
Christening, 1940

Christening of Prince Konstantin 1940

Year 1947
Cute children!

Polfoto
Prince Konstantin with his father, King Pavlos
About 1952

He bacame Crown Prince when his grandfather died 1946, I think. Here he is his first official "work" as crown prince in her grandpapa's funeral.

No, he became a Crownprince when his uncle died, as George II was a brother of King Paul.
By the way, I think some photos here are no "child"-pics, he´s rather a young man I would say...
But very interesting and beautiful ones, of course!

 

[iceflower]

Some covers from 1967, I especially like the one with little Alexia, that's too cute

(HOLA)

 

[Mari_*]

How is King Constantine related to the Duke of Edinburgh? are they cousins? Thanks in advance.

 

[Warren]

How is King Constantine related to the Duke of Edinburgh? are they cousins? Thanks in advance.

Here's one way of looking at it:

King George I of Greece > Prince Andrew > Philip
King George I of Greece > Constantine I > Paul I > Constantine II

 

[Mari_*]

Thanks Warren, easy and understandable!

 

[Jaya]

Queen Anna-Maria

I remember seeing the Queen once as a child when my father worked for Shell in Thessaloniki on ST. Demetrios day at the church of the same name.. Princess Irene was also in attendance as was her brother, the King. The two royal ladies were dressed in Amalia costumes and Queen Anne Marie was so breathtakingly beautiful I have never forgotten it. She drew a unanimous sigh of admiration from the crowds when they beheld her. Princess Irene had a calligramic figure.
Even George Papandreou was melted by the Queen's beauty and the couple's charm and had his picture taken with them.
People forget easily.

 

[felipa]

Thanks for all the nice px!

Just saw a TV documentary "Christian IX - the father-in-law of European royal families" on ART, a EU culture channel, which is about the relationship between the danish royal family and other european royal families. It consists of 6 parts with interviews with the decedents of Christian IX, very rare and precious photos/video clips from these royal families. A very informative and interesting documentary. Highly recommended.

In one of the interview, HRH Constantine told that he was sure that AM was THE ONE for him when he first saw the picture of the 15-ear old princess on a magazine. He then arranged an meeting to visit his sailing trainer, who was a Dane, in Danmark so he could meet AM. Once in Danmark, he met AM and forwent his "official arrangement".

They were madly in love but AM was only 15, he was somehow 22 (?), and they went "undercover" for half year before finally informed the parents.

When he wne to AM's dad asking for his daughter's hand, the king was so anrgy/shocked/overly concerned of his little princess that he graped CP Constantine and locked him in a dark room. Without light, CP Constantine used his hand touching around and found out that he was locked in the toilet! (He was all of smiles when talking about this anecdote.)

They married after she just turned 18. They were one the most glamorous royal couples in 60s.
They must be still in love: he was holding her hands when filmed they took a walk in their garden in this documentary. How many 60-year plus old couples are still holding hands now days?!

A lovely couple.

 

[Jaya]

Accord

Just saw a TV documentary "Christian IX - the father-in-law of European royal families"

People have forgotten how much this couple whether King Constantine Or Queen Anne Marie held us and enthralled us much by inspiration.People were amazed at her simplicity ,grace and maturity. She was unaffected and not indulged by her own family.
The King was then further respected for choice in a consort and his steadfastness to the Greek principles, the morals of family and his embarking on the responsibility of creating one , young as he was.
There is amovie with Rena Vlahopoulou where the cast is called to the balcony{itis somehow written into the script} to watch the royal wedding procession in a carriage through the streets of Athens on the way to Mitropoli Basilica.Even Finos could not resist.
I think they have comported themselves with great dignity.

 

[sita]

I agree, they are very touching, and a lesson for many. How they coped with the experience of loosing a kingdom is still a mistery for me. I hope one day they will tell or write. Does anyone know if they are very religious ?

 

[Stefanie]

Anne-Marie losing kingdom

Well, she was born into a royal family and therefore save when the militar conquered Greece. (I´m sure she by herself would never have been killed or so because then Greece would have got in trouble with the Danish government) I have the feeling that she wasn´t too sad to give up being a Queen. Maybe it was too much for her anyway because of her young age. In an interview where Constantin talked about the one day the revolution started and he and Anne-Marie were in some kind of danger for a short time she only said that she gave birth to Pavlos and "that was also quite nice" which I think in this situation is kind of a very childish and naive comment....

 

[BeatrixFan]

I don't think it's fair to blame the collapse of the monarchy on Queen Anne-Marie at all. I saw the interview and she actually saif that the birth of Pavlos was a nice thing because it was something to put hope into. And what birth isn't nice? Greece had been into trouble for decades. The monarchy just wasn't stable and it was inevitable that it would come to an end. It wasn't "if", it was "when". And Anne-Marie was popular as the Greek Queen, why wouldn't she be? I've never heard that argument before but I honestly think it's pretty inaccurate and unfair on Her Majesty. After all, Constantine was the King, not Anne-Marie. If anyone could be blamed, it's Constantine (not that I blame His Majesty. I think there was nothing he could do).

 

[fandesacs2003]

I don't think it's fair to blame the collapse of the monarchy on Queen Anne-Marie at all. I saw the interview and she actually saif that the birth of Pavlos was a nice thing because it was something to put hope into. And what birth isn't nice? Greece had been into trouble for decades. The monarchy just wasn't stable and it was inevitable that it would come to an end. It wasn't "if", it was "when". And Anne-Marie was popular as the Greek Queen, why wouldn't she be? I've never heard that argument before but I honestly think it's pretty inaccurate and unfair on Her Majesty. After all, Constantine was the King, not Anne-Marie. If anyone could be blamed, it's Constantine (not that I blame His Majesty. I think there was nothing he could do).

Nobody blamed Anne-Marie. Even among the strong "antimonarchist" in Greece Anne Marie was loved. She was very young, very fresh and innocent. How could somone blame her? Imagine, she was born into a very old royal family, daughter of a King, sister of a Quen, she become a Queen when she was only 18, and she suddenly saw herselfm chassed, running around Europe, without home. And she passed trought all that full of dignity.
Other women, come from "nothing" and become Queens, and she comes from palaces and she faced the darkness.
How life is cruel sometimes?

 

[elina]

According to Constantion‘s　old intervew he lost his gold medal.He faced a militaly coup and he failed to organize a counter coup in 1967. When he had to fly to Italy the glod medal had slipped his mind. He told if he got permission to go back in the future I would return and hope to look for one.He had a replica which IOC presented to him then. He visited his country frequently in four years.
Does anyone know if he got his real thing back.

 

[acdc1]

I think its fun to see the pictures of Queen Sofia! She looks very much like she does today, except with a different hairstyle.

 

[elina]

When I looked at some pictures of Constantin's boyhood,I thought Theodora looked like her father Constantion. Especially its cheeks.
Has Theodora been stadying Theater Art at college? Where does she
live? I think GRF should renew their official home page.

 

[Warren]

Please discuss Theodora in the Princess Theodora thread. Thanks.

 

[iceflower]

Here's a sweet cover of Constantine with little Alexia in 1966

HOLA 1966

 

[princess olga]

I remember seeing the Queen once as a child when my father worked for Shell in Thessaloniki on ST. Demetrios day at the church of the same name.. Princess Irene was also in attendance as was her brother, the King. The two royal ladies were dressed in Amalia costumes and Queen Anne Marie was so breathtakingly beautiful I have never forgotten it. She drew a unanimous sigh of admiration from the crowds when they beheld her. Princess Irene had a calligramic figure.
Even George Papandreou was melted by the Queen's beauty and the couple's charm and had his picture taken with them.
People forget easily.

I always do find it interesting (and kindof a tale of warning to other royal ruling fams?) that despite their youth, their good looks, their charm, it apparently wasn't enough for the Greek people to vote to keep their throne!

It shows that, if anything, one rules by the wish of the people. They can take away the good life faster than one can say: 'Constantine-of-Greece'. I also don't get the impression the Greeks but for a moment have regretted their decision to get rid of a royal family they for whatever reason, didn't feel much affiliation with.

 

[iceflower]

Here's a wonderful Spanish cover from 1983, the pic was taken shortly after
Theodora's birth, when the proud parents left the hospital with their newborn baby :

Anne-Marie and Constantine with Theodora in 1983

 

[Avalon]

That's indeed a wonderful picture Iceflower, thanks a lot for it!
Anne-Marie has aged gracefully, if it's possible, I would say she looks even more charming now.

 

[ladejesus]

I totally agree Avalon. I really think Queen Anne-Marie looks even more beautiful now than she did in her earlier days.

I love how this one issue of Hola covers the presentation of Theodora and also the first gala event of her cousin Cristina.

 

[Philippe Egalite']

Nobody blamed Anne-Marie. Even among the strong "antimonarchist" in Greece Anne Marie was loved. She was very young, very fresh and innocent. How could somone blame her? Imagine, she was born into a very old royal family, daughter of a King, sister of a Quen, she become a Queen when she was only 18, and she suddenly saw herselfm chassed, running around Europe, without home. And she passed trought all that full of dignity.
Other women, come from "nothing" and become Queens, and she comes from palaces and she faced the darkness.
How life is cruel sometimes?

I concur!
In fact, no Hellene has ever uttered a bitter word about Anne-Marie. The Hellenes shall always remember fondly her candid and disarmingly captivating smile and we still care for her.
All these things discussed here about Anne-Marie never came up in the Hellenic Press and are irrelevant.
Undoubtedly, Anne-Marie boosted the popularity of King Constantine at the time. In fact, in or around 1964, the aging, then prime minister, George Papandreou, who was very fond of her, said the historic, "Χθες, ο Κωνσταντίνος και εγώ εμοιράσθημεν την Ανναν-Μαρίαν" [Last night, Constantine and I shared Anne-Marie].
The liabilities of the former royal family lie elsewhere and have already been discussed ad nauseam under the appropriate topics.

 

[ladejesus]

I concur!
In fact, in or around 1964, the aging, then prime minister, George Papandreou, who was very fond of her, said the historic, "Χθες, ο Κωνσταντίνος και εγώ εμοιράσθημεν την Ανναν-Μαρίαν" [Last night, Constantine and I shared Anne-Marie].

I don't know the history/context of this quote, so could you please explain what he meant by this?