Greek Royals at the Athens Olympics 2004

[Beate]

Originally Posted by ennyllorac

Is that really Theodora? She looks so svelte! She truly has changed.

I thought so too. First of all I thought I was seeing on of her German cousins..:)
It seems like she lost some weight and yes, her brother is quite handsome.

[Conde Valleverde]

Originally Posted by ReinaMissy

I didn't state that the junta passed the referendum on its own; I stated that they did so through the populace.

Your explanation seems to vary from others that I've heard, though all agree that the so-called vote by the people was not exactly democratic

That´s what I read. Maybe the referendum was not democratic enough because the King wasn´t allowed to go to Greece for the campaign. But the fairness of the vote itself was never contested. Queen Sofía didn´t question it either in the book "La Reina", by Pilar Urbano. I recommend it. It´s a book written by a journalist who interviewed Queen Sofía during several weeks. The Queen speaks and gives her opinion about lots of things, including her family. In the book the Queen herself refers to her "vengence" against Greek President Karamanlis during his state visit to Spain. The book was written originally in Spanish and I believe it has been translated into several languages (including Greek). It contains several photographs of the Queen taken by the King and never shown before (you can read on them "copyright Juan Carlos de Borbón"). There is also a charming picture of the then Greek Princess Sophia dancing at school when she was a teenager.

[hillary_nugent]

Originally Posted by Conde Valleverde

No, the Junta did not pass a referendum: it just abolished monarchy. In 1974 the Junta left power after half of the island of Cyprus was invaded by Turkey. After the Junta had left power, a referendum took place. I believe 35 % of the Greeks voted in favour of the re-establishment of monarchy. The rest voted for republic. Technically the results of the referendum were fair. Nevertheless, King Constantinos was not allowed to go to Greece during the referendum campaign in order to get support for the monarchy. Apparently, Prime Minister Karamanlis, who organized the referendum, had promised the King that he would call him to Greece for campaigning. But he did not. The Greek royal family was very upset with Karamanlis because of that. For that reason, years later, when Karamanlis, then new President of the Greek Republic, visited Spain, Queen Sofía took her revenge: for the state dinner at the Madrid Royal Palace she wore not only her best tiara, but the Greek Royal Order band accross her chest (she has only wore that band once in Spain: in that dinner )

Thanks for replying to my question everyone ^__^ very much appreciated ^__^

GO QUEEN SOFIA ^____^ hahahaha

[Lyonnaise]

Here's a interview with King Constantine given during the Olympics. There's also a video clip...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5723866/

[cuervo]

Originally Posted by Conde Valleverde

I´m glad to see them in Greece!!! :) :) :) By the way, I read somewhere that nowadays 37 % of the Greeks declare themselves monarchists. Maybe the monarchist percentage is quite low in Athens and major cities, but that means it´s very high in rural areas.

You've red right!!!!

[Genevieve]

Originally Posted by Conde Valleverde

I´m glad to see them in Greece!!! :) :) :) By the way, I read somewhere that nowadays 37 % of the Greeks declare themselves monarchists. Maybe the monarchist percentage is quite low in Athens and major cities, but that means it´s very high in rural areas.

While it might be higher in rural areas, I would hardly say that 37% is very high -- it is just higher. Not even 50% of Greeks want their royal family back.

[ReinaMissy]

Compared to 25 years ago, it's astoundingly high.

It's all about perspective

[Chanel]

Originally Posted by Conde Valleverde

No, the Junta did not pass a referendum: it just abolished monarchy. In 1974 the Junta left power after half of the island of Cyprus was invaded by Turkey. After the Junta had left power, a referendum took place. I believe 35 % of the Greeks voted in favour of the re-establishment of monarchy. The rest voted for republic. Technically the results of the referendum were fair. Nevertheless, King Constantinos was not allowed to go to Greece during the referendum campaign in order to get support for the monarchy. Apparently, Prime Minister Karamanlis, who organized the referendum, had promised the King that he would call him to Greece for campaigning. But he did not. The Greek royal family was very upset with Karamanlis because of that. For that reason, years later, when Karamanlis, then new President of the Greek Republic, visited Spain, Queen Sofía took her revenge: for the state dinner at the Madrid Royal Palace she wore not only her best tiara, but the Greek Royal Order band accross her chest (she has only wore that band once in Spain: in that dinner )

Oh how I would love to see a photo of that..... :) Anyone know where we can see one?

Please do post the link or the photo.... :) :) :)

Thanks for the photos of Theodora and Phillippos, they both look wonderful. Phillippos is becoming a good looking young man. Alexia and Carlos look wonderful as well.

[Chanel]

Is that Phillippos in the from of the boat doing some kind of stretching? It does look like Anne Marie, but, I am not sure either. Who is the young man to the left of the boat with what looks to be a video camera?

[rere]

I think you're right.
Is Theodore the one in yellow and white? Nikolaos is behind Phillippos? I don't know who the other two are? Can someone help?

[Alexandria]

Originally Posted by rere

I think you're right.
Is Theodore the one in yellow and white? Nikolaos is behind Phillippos? I don't know who the other two are? Can someone help?

I think the other two are just members of the crew and not Pavlos or other members of the royal family.

Theodora is in yellow and white sitting at the front.

Nikolaos with the flag behind Phillippos.

Anne Marie sitting in front of Constantine.

[Chanel]

Thank You Alexandria for the clear up.

[rere]

Interesting article about Constantine at the games.


A Mixed Welcome for Greece's Ex-King

While Europe's royal families have long added a bit of glamour to the Olympics, one blue-blooded Athens visitor is getting a mixed reception from Greeks: Constantine, who ruled the country as king for less than four years before going into exile.

The "ex", as some Greek newspapers call the former monarch, has been in Greece since the beginning of the Games and has attended numerous competitions with Greek athletes.

While Constantine himself has told reporters that Greeks have been kind to his family wherever he goes, not everyone seems to be happy to have him back.
He left Greece in 1967 after a military coup. The monarchy was abolished in a referendum in 1974, when 69 percent of Greeks voted for a republic. He's not been immensely popular in his native country ever since.

Greek leftist politicians were irked when Constantine attended an event at the country's presidential palace, which used to serve as the royal family's residence.
Media coverage of his visit hasn't been too pleasant for him, either: Greek newspaper To Wima for example criticized his joyous reaction to the Greek team's success during sailing competitions, calling Constantine's behavior "inappropriate."

"Spain's Queen Sofia, the ex's sister, at least displayed aristocratic countenance at a Basketball game," the paper wrote.

The journalists might have cut Constantine some slack as he became the first Greek to win an Olympic gold medal since 1912 in 1960 -- four years before he became king. He did so in Sailing (Dragon Class) as helmsman. He is honorary president of the International Sailing Federation as well as an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

According to news reports, the IOC is still thinking about letting Constantine hand out medals during a sailing competition.

Traveling on a Danish passport -- Constantine's ancestor, King George I., was a Danish prince -- the ex-king even had trouble getting into the country. But Greeks might get to see much more of their former monarch as he said he is looking for a new home.

"I don't care if I'm the head of state, if I'm the king of the country or just a simple citizen -- (it) is just being with Greek people and be in my own country that counts most of all," he said in a interview with US broadcaster NBC.

Family reunion
Despite the controversy surrounding his visit, Constantine will have a chance to catch up with relatives who have come to Athens as well.

Apart from his sister Sofia, the Spanish queen, the Danish royal family is also attending. Constantine's wife, Anne-Marie, is a sister of Denmark's Queen Margrethe II.

Danish Crown Prince Frederik and his new wife, Mary, are also in Athens, just like Sweden's royal couple, King Carl XVI. Gustaf and Queen Silvia.

Both couples have a special relationship with the Olympics as they met during previous games: Frederik and Mary met in Sydney in 2000 and Carl Gustaf and Silvia in Munich in 1972.

Other royals who have or will visit the Athens Games include Belgium's King Albert II., Britain's Princess Anne, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. (win)
Source: www.dw-world.de

[Chanel]

What a great article. However I am sad to see that things still haven't simmered! I was astonished to see that Konstantinos and Anne-Marie are on Danish Passports and not British passports. It will be interesting to see if he buys a home in Greece or not. I am surprised that MC hasn't bought one already in Greece since they have been given the oportunity to travel to Greece. It will also be interesting to see if Konstantinos and Anne-Marie will become citizens to live in Greece one day or not! I thought that His Majesty and his family refused to give into the dropping of the titles and becoming ordinary citizens. I think that we should start a thread that will better explain the reason why Konstantinos and Anne-Marie are STILL not liked in Greece some 40 years later. How sad!

I just hope that things become better for thier children.

[Bubbette]

Better? I don't think any of them are suffering!

[Chanel]

I am not saying that they are suffring. However, it kinda sucks to be away from your homeland. Konstantine must be going crazy! However he is probably doing better nowdays that he can visit Greece as he pleases. As for the younger two, Phillippos and Theodora, I feel bad for them and Nikolaos as well. Neither of them have really gotten to experience Greece. It sucks that their two older siblings were born there and they weren't. Think about how hard that must be for them....

[Chanel]

Bumping this up. Hoping that someone might have some more photos of the Greek royals at the olympics.

[liv]

Do anyone know why Philippos didn´t atend his both cousins wedding in May?

[Queens]

both weddings were in may... and most probably he was at school...
Q

[Chatleen]

Philippos for sure didn't attend the wedding in Copenhagen.

:)