Titles, Surname and Nationality of the Greek Royal Family, Part 2, 2024 -

[blooms_rulers]

Everything depends on the law of each country.

In Greece we have Jus sanguinis, (Right of blood) it means that children of Greek citizens are by right Greeks also. Wherever they are born.
On the other side Jus soli does not apply. It means that children of foreigners, born in Greece don't have the right to become automatically Greeks.
Now for the Grrek Royal family. Late King's 5 children (2 born in Greece and 3 abroad) are entitled to the Greek citizenship, because of their father. The issue is that around 1990 (not sure of the exact date) the then Greek government deprived the whole family from their Greek citizenship (it is a separate thread for this) They regained it just 2 months ago.
As for the Danish side, no idea if Queen Anne-Marie born Danish citizen has transmitted her citizenship to her 5 kids, because I don’t know what the Danish law prevails. Our Danish friends could help maybe.

Anne-Marie surrendered her Danish nationality upon her marriage. I expect Greeks in 1964 wouldn't have accepted their queen retaining foreign nationality.

 

[Somebody]

Everything depends on the law of each country.

In Greece we have Jus sanguinis, (Right of blood) it means that children of Greek citizens are by right Greeks also. Wherever they are born.
On the other side Jus soli does not apply. It means that children of foreigners, born in Greece don't have the right to become automatically Greeks.
Now for the Grrek Royal family. Late King's 5 children (2 born in Greece and 3 abroad) are entitled to the Greek citizenship, because of their father. The issue is that around 1990 (not sure of the exact date) the then Greek government deprived the whole family from their Greek citizenship (it is a separate thread for this) They regained it just 2 months ago.
As for the Danish side, no idea if Queen Anne-Marie born Danish citizen has transmitted her citizenship to her 5 kids, because I don’t know what the Danish law prevails. Our Danish friends could help maybe.

So, for the children that weren't born in Greece, the laws in Italy (Nikolaos) and the UK (Theodora and Philippos) are relevant. Both countries practice jus sanguinis, so given that each of them had Greek citizenship at birth, they did not receive Italian or UK citizenship (as they weren't stateless otherwise at that point). Theodora and Philippos were able to apply for British citizenship at some point because they lived in the UK for the first 10 years of their lives.

 

[Mbruno]

So, for the children that weren't born in Greece, the laws in Italy (Nikolaos) and the UK (Theodora and Philippos) are relevant. Both countries practice jus sanguinis, so given that each of them had Greek citizenship at birth, they did not receive Italian or UK citizenship (as they weren't stateless otherwise at that point). Theodora and Philippos were able to apply for British citizenship at some point because they lived in the UK for the first 10 years of their lives.

The UK had unrestricted Jus soli before 1983. Since Theodora and Philippos were both born, however, in or after 1983, then restricted Jus soli applies to them. If their parents were settled immigrants in the UK when Theodora and Philippos were born, then they would acquire British citizenship at birth, even if neither of their parents had British citizenship. A "settled immigrant" in British nationality law is any non-British citizen who has indefinite leave to remain in the UK, or does not require such leave.

Does anybody know the immigration status of King Constantine and Queen Anne Marie in the UK respectively in 1983 and 1986? The question is relevant because either the King or the Queen had ILR in the UK at that time, then Theodora and Philippos would be British citizens by birth.

Note that, even if Theodora and Philippos were not born as British citizens (which is unclear), they could, as you said, still be registered as British citizens after living continuously in the UK for the first 10 years of their lives, or if either of their parents became a settled immigrant before they turned 18.

 

[Somebody]

Thanks, I was wondering about the 'settlement' option as well. Often, those that are living somewhere on diplomatic passports are excluded from certain rights regarding nationality, so if their parents were in the UK using (Danish?) diplomatic passports, they might not qualify.

 

[Viv]

But Queen Anne-Marie is born Danish citizen. Doesn't she transmit it to her children ?

Anne-Marie became a Greek citizen when marrying King Constantine in 1964. When losing their Greek citizenship ( 1994) they used the “safety net” provided in 1863 by king Christian IX of Denmark, the father of Prince Vilhelm, who became King Georgios of Greece! As the Greek monarchy was a bit unstable at the time, King Christian insisted that Vilhelm’s Greek family and descendants should be styled “ of Greece and Denmark” , so they would not be rendered stateless in case the Greek monarchy was overthrown.
This provision has on more than one occasion enabled members of the Greek RF to get Danish diplomatic passports - however without getting Danish citizenship!

I’m aware that the “••••of Denmark” style has been confusing; I find it a bit confusing too ! The former Greek RF was not a part of the Danish royal House ( the working royals of the institution), however the male members of the Greek family were in the line of succession to the Danish throne until 1953, when the Danish succession law was changed.

Now back to Anne-Marie: I have absolutely no idea whether she holds a Danish diplomatic passport OR if she has regained Danish citizenship! I’m sure the latter is possible in her case, however I doubt she would have done so when her husband was alive. I refer to other posts regarding the citizenships of her children!
The “ .. of Denmark” bit was always a Greek title only! And while the “ Greeks” are family members of the Danish RF, they are not members of the official Danish RF - nor are they listed as such!

 

[Mbruno]

Thanks, I was wondering about the 'settlement' option as well. Often, those that are living somewhere on diplomatic passports are excluded from certain rights regarding nationality, so if their parents were in the UK using (Danish?) diplomatic passports, they might not qualify.

If Constantine and Anne Marie had diplomatic immunity, then their children would not acquire British citizenship at birth, even if unrestricted Jus soli still applied (which, again, was no longer the case after January 1, 1983).

The 10-year route to acquire British citizenship would still be available to Theodora and Philippos though since, as far as I understand, it is independent of the parents' nationality or immigration status. It suffices that the children be born in the UK and that they not be physically absent from the United Kingdom for more than 90 days in each of the first 10 years of their life.

 

[fandesacs2003]

Can someone understand the way the Official site of the GRF presents the royal family ?
Marie Chantal and Nina appeear with their title (Crown Princess and Princess)
But both Tatiana and Chryssi just appear with their names without title.
Also can someone with good eyes read Chryssi's birth date ? Looks like 1981 but not sure. If true she is 44.

 

[Blog Real]

Can someone understand the way the Official site of the GRF presents the royal family ?
Marie Chantal and Nina appeear with their title (Crown Princess and Princess)
But both Tatiana and Chryssi just appear with their names without title.
Also can someone with good eyes read Chryssi's birth date ? Looks like 1981 but not sure. If true she is 44.

Yes I noticed that too. Yes Chryssi was born in 1981.

 

[Prinsara]

Can someone understand the way the Official site of the GRF presents the royal family ?
Marie Chantal and Nina appeear with their title (Crown Princess and Princess)
But both Tatiana and Chryssi just appear with their names without title.

Maybe because both MC and Nina indisputably married Princes, while Tatiana is an ex-spouse and Chrysi married someone who has now officially given up the title in Greece? (Yes that holds true for her sisters-in-law, but Chrysi cannot even claim to have married a Prince.) That's my best guess.

 

[Blog Real]

Maybe because both MC and Nina indisputably married Princes, while Tatiana is an ex-spouse and Chrysi married someone who has now officially given up the title in Greece? (Yes that holds true for her sisters-in-law, but Chrysi cannot even claim to have married a Prince.) That's my best guess.

It is a possibility. But the Greek Royal House should clarify this.

 

[fandesacs2003]

I don't think he had given up his title. His titles are not recognized in Greece but this is not new.
As courtesy still exists.
And if you check the official site, Nicolaos is still styled as Prince.

 

[Archduchess Zelia]

Danish Billed Bladet seem to exclusively refer to Nikolaos as "Nikolaos de Grece" even though the GRF's website clearly still refer to him as "Prince Nikolaos" so they're definitely confused about the titles.

 

[Lipe]

I don't know exactly what this wedding object is, the invitation card or the gift given to the guests... but it has the initials and the crown that identify Chrysi as Princess

The Greek Royal Family | Ο Πρίγκιπας Νικόλαος και η Πριγκίπισσα Χρυσή | Facebook

Ο Πρίγκιπας Νικόλαος και η Πριγκίπισσα Χρυσή

www.facebook.com

 

[Tatiana Maria]

I haven't kept up with this thread, but from some previous posts it appears that most believe Queen Margrethe II of Denmark permitted her relatives in the former royal family of Greece to remain Prince(ss) of Denmark even after her own junior-line grandchildren were stripped of that title effective January 1, 2023.

However, has that been established as a fact, or is it merely an assumption at this point? I am not sure that one can rule out the possibility that Queen Margrethe II may have also removed the Danish princely titles from the Greek former royal family without issuing any public announcements. Unlike Prince Joachim's children, the Greek cousins almost never used their Danish titles, and the average Danish citizen may not even have been aware of them.

Is there evidence that members of the Greek ex-royal family have claimed or utilized the title or name "of Denmark" since January 1, 2023?

For what it is worth, the English version of the family's official website does not appear to reference Danish titles. For example, the following is quoted from its FAQ:

Here is the correct form of address: Queen Anne-Marie, former Queen of the Hellenes. All other members of the family are similarly styled.
​

FAQ

greekroyalfamily.gr

And the press releases of family weddings and funerals naturally do not use it either:

The funeral service of Prince Michael of Greece was held on Thursday, August 1st, 2024, at the Church of Saint Theodores in the First Cemetery of Athens.

The Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony of HRH Princess Theodora and Mr. Matthew Kumar will take place on Saturday, September 28th 2024 at 5:30 pm at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation in Athens.

The Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony of HRH Prince Nikolaos, now known as Nikolaos De Grèce, and Ms. Chrysi Vardinogianni will be held on Friday, February 7th, 2025, at 6:00 pm at the Holy Church of Saint Nicholas Ragavas in Athens in a private ceremony amongst close family and friends.

On Friday, February 7, 2025, at 18:00, the Greek Orthodox wedding of Nikolaos De Grèce and Chrysi Vardinogianni took place at the Holy Church of St. Nicholas Rangavas in Athens.​

Danish Billed Bladet seem to exclusively refer to Nikolaos as "Nikolaos de Grece" even though the GRF's website clearly still refer to him as "Prince Nikolaos" so they're definitely confused about the titles.

The most recent press release on the family's website refers to him as Nikolaos De Grèce.

Announcement of the Greek Orthodox wedding of Nikolaos de Grèce and Chrysi Vardinogianni

www.greekroyalfamily.gr

Ανακοίνωση τέλεσης του θρησκευτικού γάμου του Νικόλαου Ντε Γκρες με την Χρυσή Βαρδινογιάννη

www.greekroyalfamily.gr