Are Ex-Kings Still Considered "Former Head of State"?

[CyrilVladisla]

Former reigning monarchs should be treated with all due respect as former heads of state. I realize that in some countries the nobility titles are no longer recognized. However, when it comes to former heads of state, there should be no lack of respect for them.

 

[Blog Real]

I also think that former monarchs should be treated like former heads of state, which makes sense.

 

[Durham]

An interesting thread.

Elizabeth II is the former HofS of various countries. Ghana was the first I think? So she's an ex-queen in some republics.

Does this accord her some special status in these former realms?

 

[wartenberg7]

Some (republican minded) people even don´t want them to be named "Majesty" or "King" anymore which has no precedent - The last Tsar remained Nicolas II, The Tsar, until this day. Same for The Kaiser. King Peter of Yugoslavia was called that way for the rest of his life, just as the late and so far last King of Romania Mihai II; the last austrian Emperor is still known as "Kaiser Karl" and so on and so on.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Some (republican minded) people even don´t want them to be named "Majesty" or "King" anymore which has no precedent - The last Tsar remained Nicolas II, The Tsar, until this day. Same for The Kaiser. King Peter of Yugoslavia was called that way for the rest of his life, just as the late and so far last King of Romania Mihai II; the last austrian Emperor is still known as "Kaiser Karl" and so on and so on.

Precedents are plentiful for deposed monarchs being stripped of their titles, including all of the monarchs you cited with the exception of the Kaiser. Emperor (Tsar was not the formal terminology) Nikolai II lost not only his title but his life to the Bolsheviks.

Posthumous naming conventions are a different matter. Scholars and members of the general public, republican or not, will generally name deceased heads of state in accordance with the position through with they made their mark on history, which is sensible. I have never encountered any person, monarchist or republican, who objects to referring to the late King Peter of Yugoslavia as such.

Where there will be disagreement is in referring to a living former head of state who has left office, or a pretender who has never in reality held the office of head of state, by the title. This issue is not confined to monarchies. There are those who call former republican presidents "ex-President", while others argue that they should simply be called "President", and various countries will have differing official protocols.

 

[ronald biver]

I read a book, part of my royal biographies collection, is called "The Historical Atlas of Dynasties & Royal Houses" by Jeremy Harwood. He wrote a piece of the Greek royal family & the military junta, fascinating reading! It dealt with all the vanishing royal houses of Europe from the past!

 

[ronald biver]

Another book, also a good read from the past kingdoms is "Vanished Kingdoms" by Norman Davies (The History of Half-Forgotten Europe), I love reading about everything past & present royalties (including royalties from the rest of the world)

 

[Alison H]

Another book, also a good read from the past kingdoms is "Vanished Kingdoms" by Norman Davies (The History of Half-Forgotten Europe), I love reading about everything past & present royalties (including royalties from the rest of the world)

I've had that book for ages and haven't got round to reading it - thanks for reminding me!

 

[lucien]

Living the Greek "reality" about the Greek Royal Family, i would like to know what is the position of the Royal families in other countries where also have now a Republic, such as Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. I know the activities of the Royals there, but i'd like to know what are they position regarding to the official State. For example, i'd like King Constantine to be treated in Greece as a former Head of State, as all the former Presidents of the Republic are been treated, but that doesn't happens in the revanchist Greek State...

Well yes ofcourse!...oh...but Greece thinks it is different after decades of bashing the Royal Family by the Colonels regime and greeks buying that nonsense,it is too warm or too this or that or that and this to think about today......Avrio....

 

[maria-olivia]

Only old people are still Royalist.
I don't think they will be National Funerals and that Pavlos will still remain Crown Prince such as in Serbia.

 

[Mbruno]

The topic of the thread is ill-posed. Ex-Kings are by definition "former Heads of State".

I believe what the OP intended to ask was if ex-Kings are accorded honors and special treatment as a former Head of State. I would say that generally they are not, but it varies from country to country. Most ex-Kings properly are already dead anyway (King Constantine and Tsar Simeon being notable exceptions). Once there are no living ex-Kings anymore, the question will change to how the republics view their successors.

Some republics (Greece, formerly Italy, etc.) are openly hostile to ex-Kings and their descendants. Others like Portugal are respectful of the former Royal House while not giving them any special role or status. And, in some republics like Serbia or Romania, the Royals seem to have some sort of semiofficial status. France is probably just indifferent.

I don't see King Constantine for example getting a State Funeral like the late King Michael of Romania and Crown Prince Pavlos honestly doesn't seem that much interested in Greek affairs anyway, much less his eldest son.