European royalty in Athens for funeral of Constantine II, the last king of Greece

The ex-king ruled for three years in the 1960s before being forced into exile

The funeral of former king Constantine II of Greece in Athens. Constantine reigned as the last king of the Hellenes from March 1964 until June 1973. He died age 82 in the Greek capital on January 10. Getty

Prince Pavlos of Greece and former queen Anne Marie of Greece attend Constantine II's funeral in Athens. Getty

Constantine II, head of the royal house of Greece, died in Athens at the age of 82 on January 10. In December 1974, a referendum of the Greek people decided to abolish the monarchy. Getty

King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain at the funeral of King Constantine II in Athens. Getty

Britain's Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, arrives for the funeral of king Constantine II at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Athens. AFP

Former Spanish king Juan Carlos and former queen Sofia arrive at the Metropolitan Cathedral. AFP

Priests during the funeral of king Constantine II. Getty

Former queen of the Netherlands Beatrix, Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima arrive for the funeral of Constantine, former king of Greece. AFP

Members of the public pay their respects to the former king in Athens. AFP

Former princes Nikolaos, Pavlos and Philippos of Greece at the funeral of their father in Athens. AFP

Grand-Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Grand-Duchess Maria Teresa attend the funeral of king Constantine II, former monarch of Greece, in Athens. Reuters

European royalty gathered in Athens on Monday for the funeral of the former king Constantine of Greece, who ruled for just three years in the 1960s before being forced into exile, with his subjects voting to abolish the monarchy in 1974.

Constantine II, a second cousin of Britain's King Charles and godfather to heir Prince William, lived most of his life abroad, but returned to his homeland in his last years.

He died at an Athens hospital last week, aged 82.

Linked to the German House of Glucksberg which has connections with royalty throughout Europe, Constantine II was the only son of King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece.

Royals from Europe including Britain's Princess Anne and Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia attended the Orthodox Christian service at the Metropolitan Cathedral in central Athens.

Also on the guest list were royals from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Monaco.

Many are related. Constantine's eldest son, Pavlos, exchanged a bear hug with Spain's Felipe, his first cousin, on the steps of the cathedral moments before the ceremony started.

Thousands of people had earlier queued for hours outside an adjacent chapel, where Constantine's coffin draped in a Greek flag was placed, to pay their last respects.

“I was and will remain a royalist,” said Dionysios Klonaris, 76. “I'm sad and proud that I was able to honour him until the final seconds of his life”.

His friend, Aphrodite Koulouris, 70, added: “I live for the moment that his heir, Pavlos, becomes king.”

Constantine was 27 years old and had been king for three years when he was forced into exile in 1967 with his wife Princess Anne-Marie, the youngest daughter of King Frederick IX of Denmark, and his family.

He was deeply unpopular for his decision to swear-in the junta who seized power in April that year. He briefly co-operated with them before staging a failed counter-coup that led to his exile.

The junta abolished the monarchy in 1973, and in a referendum after it fell in 1974, Greece rejected the monarchy again.

Monday's service was private, reflecting Constantine's status as a former king. Some onlookers booed the culture minister, reflecting anger among some that the funeral was not more official.

In the 1990s, Constantine was stripped of his Greek citizenship and the state seized a family estate at Tatoi and a palace on the island of Corfu, where Britain's Prince Philip was born.

Constantine will be buried in Tatoi, where his ancestors are also laid to rest.