King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie current events 3: Nov 2006 - Oct 2008

[vally]

As far as I know he bought an old house in the region called Plaka, Athens. It's near Acropolis and the Parthenon. He spent 2 millions renovating it. However, I heard that the 2-million-euros house is destined for Nikolaos.and the others will of course just stay with him unless they find another place of their own. Now, I don't know any further details so i am not able to know if these are merely rumors or actual facts.... Let's hope Constantine comes in Greece permanently as he had wished in one of his statements.

[christinacg]

auction of the belongings of King George I of Greece

http://www.christies.com/promos/jan07/7381/overview.asp#

[Daytona]

The minister of Greek culture has sent a legal document to Christies warning not to proceed to the sell because the objects belong to the Greek people and they were taken out of Tatoi palace illegaly.This legal action is believed to postpone the auction.

[Marengo]

Here the article (originally posted at the Glittering Royal Events MB by Allison).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6289097.stm

This Greek goverment really seems terribly petty and childish. I don't understand why they want to behave in this manner to a man who wanted to dedicate his life to Greece but who was driven from his country without any reason (IMHO). These people should be ashamed of themselves!

[Toledo]

More on the above article posted by Christinacg:

Greek king's Fabergé collection goes on sale
By Louise Jury, Arts Correspondent
Published: 20 January 2007

...More than 850 lots of property formerly belonging to King George I of the Hellenes, a Danish prince who was elected king by the Greek National Assembly in 1863, are being offered at Christie's next week.
The collection, which has been in storage for more than 30 years, offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of 19th century royals, according to Harry Williams-Buckeley, the auctioneer's head of silver. "It really does give us an insight into their lives," he said. "It's something I think so many people are not aware of; how international they were as a family..."

The final odyssey for Greek treasures
Virginia Blackburn welcomes the chance to bid for objects that graced a royal palace
...A word of caution, however: these estimates are based on the intrinsic value of the pieces, but their regal ownership mean that some are expected to go for at least three times their estimates. After all, how often does one have the chance to buy an item that really was fit for a king?

[fanletizia]

Greece tries to restrain the auction of the treasures of Royal family

The auction that will take place in the Christie's gallery of London next 24 and 25 of January, of 850 objects that belonged to king Jorge I of Greece, great-grandfather of Constantino and queen Sofía, could not be carried out. The Greek minister of Culture, Georgos Vulgarakis, has sent a citation to arrive at acuerso estrajudicial with the house of auctions so that in the end he is not made. Apparently they want that one demonstrates that these “treasures” were acquired by the Greek Royal Family of legal way and that they were not removed from the country in containers without the consent of the State. In the image, a gold clock of famous Russian goldsmith Fabergé of beginnings of valued century XX in more than 300,000 euros, that part of the objects forms by which it will be bid up.

source: hola

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Here the article (originally posted at the Glittering Royal Events MB by Allison).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6289097.stm

This Greek goverment really seems terribly petty and childish. I don't understand why they want to behave in this manner to a man who wanted to dedicate his life to Greece but who was driven from his country without any reason (IMHO). These people should be ashamed of themselves!

Here's HM King Constantine's reply:

http://www.kingofgreece.gr/index.cfm...ws&ItemsID=205


Btw,Liani Kaneli,the foreign affair committee member so "graciously" mentioned by the BBC,is a MP for the Greek communist party....(talking about relics..)

[Daytona]

http://www.forthnet.gr/templates/new....aspx?p=187693

This is a gallery of 120 items of the heirlooms to be sold.

[Marengo]

More articles, originally posted by Stavros on the Glittering Royal Events MB. The articles come from a conservative newspaper, so they are rather critical towards the Greek goverment:

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/ne....asp?aid=79164

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/ne....asp?aid=79163

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/ne....asp?aid=79162

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/ne....asp?aid=79161

[Skydragon]

Greek royal auction begins despite legal warning

An auction of Greek royal treasures went ahead as planned on Wednesday despite warnings from Athens that buyers could face legal action unless the auctioneers showed the works were legally taken out of Greece.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/24012007/32...l-warning.html

[lord_rankin]

To clarify, these items that are being auctioned, they are the property of King Constantine right? They were removed from Tatoi in 1991 after the government allowed him to claim his property?

[Daytona]

In 1991 and 2000 (i am confident in other times) objects of great value were stolen from the palace in Tatoi.The legal document,as exlained by the minister of culture,was sent in order to be explained how some objects which are not seen in the catalogue made by the proper authorities in 1991(when it was allowed to Konstantinos to remove some objects of his household),are in the collection to be auctioned.If their origin is by criminal act the greek state will follow all the legal procedures to acquire them back.In addition if some objects are gifts from other royal families or leaders at that time belong to the state and not the king.
It is very easy to reach Tatoi palace as it is not heavily guarded,it is located in a vast area of forest and 80% of the royal household is today at the palace.This means that getting into the palace and removing objects is not impossible.At Mon Repos palace(summer palace in Corfu) paintings of vast cultural importance today are missing,noone knows what has happened to them.

[H.M. Margrethe]

Som day i hope that King Konstantin and Queen AnneMarie are abel to bye back their home Tatoi or Mon Repos. I know it is expensive but it hope they will juse it as a futur home for them in Greece.

[fandesacs2003]

Originally Posted by lord_rankin

To clarify, these items that are being auctioned, they are the property of King Constantine right? They were removed from Tatoi in 1991 after the government allowed him to claim his property?

There is no clear reply, from any of the sides.

King Costantin says that he is not the vendor, but everything that left Tatoi, left legally. In this case, it is his property, but why he denies being the Seller?

The Government wants to stop the sale, but they can not prove how these pieces arrived in Christies.

If these pieces left Tatoi "stolen" they have to go back to the official owner, which is King Kostantin? or the Greek State?
Headacke

Resuming
These pieces belong to a Ghost, who obtained them through another Galaxy, and nobody can prove the ownership.

And in top of that, Liana Kanellis, a fanatic hysterical is shouting to call back objects, which, IF she had them she would have burned them, because she is against Monarchie and all the Tra la la .... she would have melt the silver thinks, and have broken the cristal in the head of the kings, ...........to show how useless it is to make similar objets.

Easy no???

[fandesacs2003]

Stealing Tatoi and all the palaces started immediately in 1968 when the militaries were ruling Greece.
The militaries stole household
Isolated people entered into the Palaces and did the same

It is a real miracle that objects remained there!

And Tatoi is being fully abandoned and slowly distroying........
Very very sad.

[Warren]

If the Greek Government was so concerned about items "of vast cultural importance" disappearing from the former Royal palaces, they could always have stationed a guard at the door. Other countries manage to protect their national treasures; is it so hard to do so in Greece?

Or is it more likely that the King and/or other members of the Royal Family were allowed to retrieve some items a few years ago, and for the own political purposes the current government is now trying to make an issue out of the auction?

[fandesacs2003]

Originally Posted by Warren

If the Greek Government was so concerned about items "of vast cultural importance" disappearing from the former Royal palaces, they could always have stationed a guard at the door. Other countries manage to protect their national treasures; is it so hard to do so in Greece??

Absolutely correct!
They do not show any interest, nor respect. Since many years ALL goverments are behavioring, like if the Monarchy had never exist

Tatoi is a "ghost" place. Now many private organisations are trying to "do something with" I mean to restore it and to make the enormeous park, a public place. But authorities "they never heard" that it is a place called Tatoi,..........

Originally Posted by Warren

Or is it more likely that the King and/or other members of the Royal Family were allowed to retrieve some items a few years ago, and for the own political purposes the current government is now trying to make an issue out of the auction?

No I do not think so. Just that nobody can say from where are this collection coming? Remember, since 1968, they are stealing. Nobody can say where passed these objects. Costantin left in hurry, they are suposed to have taken only jewelery, but imagine all the other things?
Historical clothes, uniforms, wedding dresses, laces, etc, etc...........
It is areal pitty, a shame

[Daytona]

The palace in Tatoi is guarded by policemen but obviously that force is not enough due to the vast place.Actually it is the same goverment rulling today that allowed Konstantinos to take some of his belongings in 1991.No other goverment and under no circumstances would have allowed to take objects from Tatoi (it is the same pollitical party i mean rulling then and today).

[fandesacs2003]

Originally Posted by Daytona

The palace in Tatoi is guarded by policemen but obviously that force is not enough due to the vast place.Actually it is the same goverment rulling today that allowed Konstantinos to take some of his belongings in 1991.No other goverment and under no circumstances would have allowed to take objects from Tatoi (it is the same pollitical party i mean rulling then and today).

For me the blame is not to have allowed him to take objects. I can not enter into a political-legal situation, about the ownership of the goods.
But I prefer by far the objects to go to him, because he respects them he has memories about them, than the objects to stay in a closen Tatoi, and to be stolen or destroyed.
Imagine your mother's wedding dress to be stolen, or to be for 40 years somewhere and to be eaten by rats, humidity and cucarrachos. For us is just a dress, for him is her mother's memory.
Unless to protect these household, and to setup a Museum - which will be never be done...... It is better to give them back to their owner "by blood"

[Jaya]

Originally Posted by Daytona

In 1991 and 2000 (i am confident in other times) objects of great value were stolen from the palace in Tatoi.

Tatoi is a ramshackle not a palace .Except for the land there is nothing there but a big house with bad architecture.Do not know about the objects.