Greek Royals seek to regain citizenship after 50 Years
The members of the Greek royal family are attempting to regain their citizenship of their home country.
Five decades after the abolition of the monarchy, the family has accepted that Greece is now a republic.
The royal family were stripped of their citizenship in 1994 following a dispute between the late King Constantine and the government over former royal residences.
Now, it was reported on Thursday that many Greek royals including Constantine's five children, Crown Prince Pavlos, Princess Alexia, Prince Nikolaos, Princess Theodora, and Prince Philippos, have signed a declaration asserting that Greece is a republic and changing their surname to 'de Grece', which is French for 'of Greece'.
Other family members, believed to be Constantine's grandchildren, are also expected to apply.
Although, the decision on their citizenship has not yet been made, but it will need to be published in the official government gazette before the members are able to apply for state identity cards and Greek passports.
"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,” A thanasios Balerpas, an official in the Interior Ministry, said on Greek radio.
To note, King Constantine, who was the final King of Greece, ruled it from 1964 to 1973.
During his rule, the European nation’s government was overthrown by a military junta and Constantine was exiled from his homeland when he attempted to organise a counter-coup.
The military junta subsequently abolished Greece's monarchy in 1973 and Constantine continued to live most of his life in exile, spending time in London with King Charles.
He returned to his homeland in 2013 where he lived until his death on January 10, 2023.
