Athens, Greece – The descendants of Greece’s former royal family have taken a significant step towards regaining their ties to the country by applying for Greek citizenship and officially recognizing the nation’s republican framework. This development arrives 50 years after the monarchy was dissolved, as confirmed by officials on Friday.
In 1994, King Constantine II and his relatives lost their Greek citizenship following a controversy with the government that centered around claims related to properties associated with the monarchy and the refusal to renounce any succession rights to the throne for future generations.
According to Athanasios Balerpas from the Interior Ministry, members of the late king’s family, who passed away last year at the age of 82, signed a formal declaration on Thursday. This declaration not only acknowledges the republican governance but also includes a new family name, “De Grece,” which translates to “of Greece” in French.
Balerpas commented on the matter, stating, “A historically pending matter is being resolved. Let’s look to the future now. I think it’s a good moment because it closes an account from the past and we can now look forward as a people.”
While the identities of the applicants have not been disclosed by officials, various Greek media reports indicate that ten relatives, including all five children of Constantine II and his wife Queen Anne-Marie—Alexia, Pavlos, Nikolaos, Theodora, and Philippos—as well as five of the late king’s grandchildren, are seeking citizenship.
The Greek monarchy was abolished in December 1974 through a referendum, where voters overwhelmingly supported a republican constitution, following the termination of a seven-year military rule.
The royal family spent decades in exile, and it was only in his later years that Constantine returned to Greece as a private citizen. Their citizenship was revoked in 1994 amidst legal disputes over royal properties that are now controlled by the state.
Previously, members of the royal family had chosen not to adopt a surname, rejecting the name Glucksburg imposed by a 1994 law, as they believed it overly linked them to their German heritage and detracted from their Greek identity.
The citizenship application, once processed, must be published in the official government gazette before they can obtain national identification cards and Greek passports.
Some lawmakers from the center-left and left-wing opposition voiced concerns about allowing the former royals to select their own surname, arguing that it resembles a title rather than a conventional last name. Despite this, they acknowledged the applicants’ entitlement to citizenship.
In summary, this historic acknowledgment by the royal family marks a pivotal moment in Greece’s modern history, as the nation transitions from a past of monarchy to embracing a future united under republican principles.