Konstantinos De Gres, who is also known as Konstantinos Alexios, has visited the Greek island of Spetses to perform a religious memorial service for his grandfather, the late former King Constantine.
The island priest, Father Grigorios Nanakoudis, made the visit public by sharing photographs on his personal social media accounts. Father Grigorios stated that a trisagion service was held in memory of the late monarch. He added that the young royal was given a tour of the church and the Ecclesiastical Museum of Spetses, ending his message with traditional wishes for good health.
A trisagion is a traditional memorial service in the Eastern Orthodox Church, performed to honour the memory of the deceased. The choice of Spetses for the service reflects a long history between the former royal household and the island, which served as their regular summer retreat.
Former King Constantine and his wife, Anne-Marie, maintained a luxury home in nearby Porto Heli for many years. However, their daily routines, social gatherings, and outings were closely tied to Spetses.
Family history on Spetses
The island has been the setting for major family moments. In 2010, the first wedding of Nikolaos De Gres to Tatiana Blatnik was celebrated at the Holy Church of Saint Nicholas on Spetses, attracting international attention.
Local residents on Spetses are accustomed to the presence of family members. Younger relatives, including Konstantinos Alexios, routinely return to the island for their summer holidays.
The visit by the son of Pavlos De Gres and Marie-Chantal comes amid a wider family gathering in Greece for the 80th birthday of his grandmother, Anne-Marie, who turns 80 on Sunday, August 30.
European royal gathering
Prominent figures from royal families across Europe are expected to arrive in Greece for the milestone event. Reports in the Spanish press state that Queen Sofia plans to travel to the country accompanied by her daughters, Infantas Elena and Cristina.
Members of the Danish royal family are also considered likely to attend. Anne-Marie is the sister of former Queen Margrethe of Denmark and the aunt of King Frederik X.
