Meeting of the Borbón family in London on the occasion of the funeral mass in memory of Constantine of Greece. Philip VI y Mrs. Letizia attend this religious service that will take place this Tuesday, February 27 at 11:00 in the morning (local time and at 12:00 Spanish time). We will also see Don Juan Carlosa Mrs. Sofiasister of the last king of the Hellenes, and her daughters, the princesses Elena y Cristina. The mass, in Windsor, is organized by the Greek royal family in collaboration with Buckingham Palace. The queen also attends Camilla and the prince of Wales, Guillermo.
The head of state and his wife traveled to the British capital after visiting Valencia this Monday, the 26th, where they showed their condolences and support for the victims and those affected by the devastating Campanar fire.
In London the photograph will be repeated: the four kings together to pay tribute to the memory of Constantine. That image took place in Athens a year ago now. In that ceremony, a pose between Don Felipe and Doña Letizia with the emeritus Kings was avoided from the minute thanks to a careful order of arrival at the Athenian cathedral. Finally, the photo arrived. It was only a moment, but Reunion kiss between father and son became the snapshot of the day, historic because it was unpublished.
In that complicated sequence, the kiss left us a message: the mutual affection between father and son in a moment of intimacy that had nothing to do with the institutional message of distance between them. We will see if this anniversary leads to a reunion between the two like the one in Athens.
At St George’s Chapel, Windsor
Constantine had a strong connection with England and with the Windsors. He lived 46 years of exile, first in Rome and then in London. The king of the Hellenes was one of William’s godfathers, so his attendance is confirmed. He will go alone, since his wife, Kate Middleton, is on medical leave due to her hospitalization after abdominal surgery. The Prince of Wales, in addition, due to his status as his heir, will act on behalf of his father, Charles III, who has relieved the weight of his in-person schedule due to his cancer treatment. The Prince of Wales assumes more and more prominence in the tasks of representing the monarch. Camilla’s presence is also confirmed.
Constantine died on January 10, 2023. The anniversary mass will be “a private Thanksgiving service,” as noted by the Royal Family. The funeral for his soul last year was held in a reduced format, private and unofficial. There were no funeral pomp or great tributes. It took place in the Cathedral of the Annunciation of Saint Mary, also called Metropolitan of Athens.
The last time we saw the four kings together was at Infanta Elena’s birthday in Madrid last December in Madrid. It was a private event, in a family format and off the agenda. And, furthermore, there was no joint photo.
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