Queen Camilla today led members of the Royal Family at a service of thanksgiving at Windsor Castle for the late King Constantine of Greece – after Prince William had to pull out at the last minute.
King Charles III missed the service as his treatment for cancer continues, while William had been due to give a reading but pulled out for ‘personal reasons’.
No further detail was given on William’s absence, and it is not known if this relates to his wife Kate Middleton’s ongoing recovery after her abdominal surgery last month.
The Prince of Wales is understood to have called the family to apologise, while Kensington Palace confirmed the Princess was ‘doing well’ as she recovers at home.
Prince Andrew was present along with Sarah, Duchess of York and his daughters Princess Eugenie and Beatrice because it was deemed a personal family event.
It is also understood that the Duke of York was attending the service as a member of the British Royal Family and had been invited by the Greek Royal Family.
As for Charles, he was at Windsor Castle earlier in the day but left before the service began – with the reception afterwards set to be hosted by Camilla.
Today’s service at St George’s Chapel was held in honour of the King’s close friend and second cousin Constantine II, the former ruler and last king of Greece.
The King has reportedly sought spiritual advice from his friend Archimandrite Ephraim, Abbot of the Greek Orthodox Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos.
Prince Andrew drives to the service at Windsor Castle today with Sarah, Duchess of York
Crown Princess Marie Chantal of Greece and Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece at Windsor today
Princess Nina of Greece and Denmark and Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark at Windsor
Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, Thomas Hooper and Lady Alexandra Hooper arrive at St George’s Chapel today for the thanksgiving service for King Constantine
Sir Jackie Stewart (centre) attends the thanksgiving service at Windsor Castle this morning
Sir Jackie Stewart attends a thanksgiving service for King Constantine at Windsor Castle today
Guests attend the thanksgiving service for King Constantine at St George’s Chapel today
Abbot Ephraim is said to have told Greek media outlets: ‘Yes, he has been in contact since the diagnosis and I believe he’ll overcome it. Charles has a spiritual sophistication, a spiritual life.’
Charles, 75, who was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer just over a fortnight ago, is not carrying out public duties while he has treatment.
Constantine was a first cousin once removed and sailing partner of the late Duke of Edinburgh, and died at the age of 82 in January last year, decades after being toppled from the throne in a military coup.
The King had a close friendship with Constantine, choosing him as a godfather for his son William, now the Prince of Wales.
The former king was also godfather to the daughter of Prince and Princess of Michael of Kent, Lady Gabriella Kingston.
Camilla and other family members will be joined by the late king’s widow Queen Anne-Marie, their eldest son, Crown Prince Pavlos and other members of the Greek royal family for the service in the nave of the 15th century chapel.
Charles was unable to attend Constantine’s funeral in Athens last year because of commitments which included meeting the president of Cyprus. The Princess Royal represented him at the service.
King Constantine attends church with Charles and Camilla at Sandringham in December 2007
King Constantine II and Queen Elizabeth II at Wellington College in Berkshire in October 2011
Prince William and Kate Middleton speak to King Constantine at Windsor Castle in 2012
King Constantine (top left) after Prince William’s confirmation in 1997 as one of his godparents
King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie, pictured with four of their children in 2014
Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece (centre left) and Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark (centre right) carry the coffin of King Constantine II during a burial at Tatoi in January 2023
King Charles met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Buckingham Palace on February 21, with the pair seen smiling during their first face-to-face meeting since the King’s cancer diagnosis
Constantine, who died in an Athens hospital, acceded to the throne at the age of 23 in 1964.
The young king, who had won Olympic gold in sailing, was initially hugely popular.
By the following year he had squandered much of that support with his active involvement in the machinations that brought down the popularly elected Centre Union government of prime minister George Papandreou.
The episode, still widely known in Greece as the ‘apostasy’ or defection from the ruling party of several politicians, destabilised the constitutional order and led to a military coup in 1967.
Constantine eventually clashed with the military rulers and was forced into exile.
The dictatorship abolished the monarchy in 1973 and a referendum after democracy was restored in 1974 dashed any hopes Constantine had of reigning again.
He lived in exile for many years in Hampstead Garden Suburb in north London, before returning to his home country in 2013.
