Don Juan Carlos and Doña Sofía, surrounded by their daughters and grandchildren at Constantine’s funeral: they do not coincide with Felipe VI and Letizia at the entrance

Constantine II, who died at the age of 82, is going to be buried as one more citizen. A funeral mass without State honors will be the last goodbye that Queen Sofía’s brother receives. All arranged on a day of mourning in Athens, which this Monday, January 16, hosts the funeral ceremonies of the last king of the Hellenes.

The entourage of the Spanish royal family was headed by the emeritus kings. Don Juan Carlos, with a cane, has leaned on an assistant to climb the entrance stairs to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. He was with his wife, Doña Sofía. Doña Irene walked arm in arm with her niece, the Infanta Cristina. They were followed by the Infanta Elena and the grandchildren of the emeritus. Applause for the arrival has been heard in the outskirts of the Athenian seo. It was 10:40 in the morning. Once they have entered, they have presented their condolences to the children of Constantine, Pablo, Felipe, Teodora, Alexia and Nicolás. They have occupied the benches arranged to the right of the altar.

Felipe VI and Doña Letizia also attend the obsequies in memory of Constantine. The King and Queen of Spain, who landed in the capital on Sunday the 15th and shared dinner with the rest of the royal family.

Until the last minute we did not know if the most anticipated photograph of the four kings together was going to be produced: Don Felipe and Doña Letizia with the emeritus kings, Juan Carlos and Doña Sofía. The same image that took place at the funeral in memory of Elizabeth II, in London, last September.

Another portrait that has also raised a very high expectation: that of the princesses with their brother Don Felipe and their sister-in-law Letizia. Elena and Cristina, who arrived in the Greek capital the day before, joined the conclave dinner with their parents and the King and Queen of Spain. There were also the grandchildren of the emeritus, Froilán, Victoria Federica, Juan, Pablo, Miguel and Irene. Everyone, except Princess Leonor and her sister Sofía de ella. At the end of that dinner, Doña Letizia and her sister-in-law Marie-Chantal Miller staged their public reconciliation.

An exceptional circumstance if we take into account that the last time we saw Don Felipe and Doña Letizia with the princesses and emeritus was three years ago in El Escorial (Madrid), at the funeral of Doña Pilar de Borbón, in January 2020, shortly before the pandemic broke out.

For Juan Carlos I, who arrived in the Greek capital from Abu Dhabi, attending the funeral of his brother-in-law Constantine means his reappearance in an official act. In addition, with extraordinary international visibility for him, since the arrival of representatives of various houses of European royalty is expected. Among others, Queen Margarita II of Denmark, sister of Ana María, widow of the monarch. The kings of Sweden, Carlos XVI Gustavo and Silvia; those of Holland, Guillermo and Máxima, together with Queen Beatriz; the heir to Norway, Haakon and his wife, Mette-Marit. Of the Windsors, the attendance of the brothers of Carlos III, Ana and Eduardo, was also scheduled.