Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pavlos |
|
|---|---|
| Crown Prince of Greece | |
Pavlos at his father's funeral in 2023
|
|
| Head of the Royal House of Greece | |
| Tenure | 10 January 2023 – present |
| Predecessor | Constantine II |
| Heir apparent | Constantine-Alexios |
| Born | 20 May 1967 Tatoi Palace, Athens, Kingdom of Greece |
| Spouse |
Marie-Chantal Miller
(m. 1995) |
| Issue |
|
| House | Glücksburg |
| Father | Constantine II of Greece |
| Mother | Anne-Marie of Denmark |
| Religion | Greek Orthodox |
Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece, Prince of Denmark (Greek: Παύλος Ντε Γκρες, romanized: Pavlos de Grèce) was born on May 20, 1967. He is a Greek businessman and was once the person expected to become king of Greece. He became the head of the Greek Royal Family after his father, King Constantine II, passed away on January 10, 2023. Pavlos was the Crown Prince from the time he was born until Greece decided it no longer wanted a king or queen.
Pavlos was born in Athens. He is the second child and oldest son of Constantine II, who was the last King of Greece, and his wife Queen Anne-Marie. Pavlos was born during a difficult time in Greek politics. When he was less than a year old, his family had to leave Greece. This happened after his father tried to stop a military group that had taken control of the country.
The family first lived in Rome, Italy. Later, they moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, where they stayed with Pavlos's grandparents. Even though they were living outside Greece, his parents were still officially the King and Queen until 1973. That year, the military group in charge officially ended the monarchy and created a new government called the Third Hellenic Republic. After this, Pavlos and his brothers and sisters grew up in London, England.
On July 1, 1995, Pavlos married Marie-Chantal Miller. They have five children: Maria-Olympia, Constantine-Alexios, Achileas-Andreas, Odysseas-Kimon, and Aristides-Stavros. Pavlos is related to many other royal families in Europe. For example, Queens Margrethe II of Denmark and Sofía of Spain are his aunts. Kings Felipe VI of Spain and Frederik X of Denmark are his first cousins.
Contents
Early Life and Family Connections
Pavlos was born on May 20, 1967, at the Tatoi Palace near Athens. This palace was a second home for the Greek royal family at the time. He was the second child and first son of King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece. His father, Constantine II, became king on March 6, 1964, after his own father, King Paul, passed away. This meant Pavlos was the crown prince from the moment he was born.
In Greece, it is a tradition for the first son to be named after his father's father. Pavlos's mother, Anne-Marie, is the youngest sister of the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II. His father, Constantine II, was the brother of Sofía, who was once the Queen of Spain. Pavlos's grandparents on his mother's side were Frederik IX of Denmark and his wife, Ingrid of Sweden.
Because Greece followed a rule where sons came before daughters in the line to the throne, Pavlos became the heir. This meant he was ahead of his older sister, Alexia, in the line of succession.
Life as Crown Prince and Beyond
Pavlos was born during a time of big changes in Greek politics. Just a month before he was born, a military group took control of Greece. This group was led by Georgios Papadopoulos. In December of that same year, King Constantine tried to take back control, but his plan did not work. The King, his wife, children, mother, and sister had to leave Greece and went to Rome. Later, they moved to Copenhagen to live with Queen Anne-Marie's mother.
From 1967 to 1973, Greece was still officially a monarchy, even though the King was living outside the country. A group of people ruled in his place. In 1973, the military government officially ended the monarchy. They held a vote, and the people decided to have a republic instead of a king. After this, Pavlos and his family lived in London.
Pavlos's younger siblings, Theodora and Philippos, were born in London in 1983 and 1986. Pavlos went to the Hellenic College of London, a school his parents started in 1980. He also studied in the U.S. at the Armand Hammer United World College of the American West from 1984 to 1986.
After his studies, Pavlos trained at the British Army's Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He became a second lieutenant in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in 1987. He left the army in 1990. In 1993, he earned a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
In 1994, the Greek government decided that Pavlos and his family were no longer Greek citizens. They could only get their citizenship back if they chose a specific last name. The next year, Pavlos and his cousin, Felipe VI of Spain, who is now the King of Spain, both studied at Georgetown University. They both earned a master's degree in Foreign Service. After his studies, Pavlos worked as an investment consultant in New York City and London. He also helped start a company called Ortelius Advisors.
Leading the Greek Royal Family
After his father, King Constantine II, passed away on January 10, 2023, Pavlos gave a speech at the funeral. He also helped carry his father's coffin with his brothers, sons, and nephews. There were rumors that Pavlos would move back to Greece permanently, but a family spokesperson said this was not true at the time.
On January 22, 2023, Pavlos spoke to a French magazine about his new role. He thanked people for showing respect to the Greek royal family. He said that those who came to the funeral, whether they wanted a king or not, were honoring a part of Greek history. Pavlos explained that he would not have an official role in Greece. However, he would continue to set a good example for his family. He also said his oldest son, Constantine-Alexios, would not have an official role either, but would follow his grandfather's example and be a good person.
In February 2023, Pavlos released a statement about a terrible train accident in Tempi, Greece, which caused many deaths. He signed the statement as the Head of the former Royal House of Greece. He expressed his sadness and prayers for the families who lost loved ones. He also thanked the rescue and medical teams. Soon after, it was reported that Pavlos and his family were looking for a home in Greece.
.jpg)
In April 2023, Pavlos attended an Orthodox Easter service. In May, he went to the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in London with his mother and wife.
On July 3, 2023, Pavlos and his brother, Nikolaos, appeared on a Greek TV show. This was their first interview since their father's death. They talked about their father, losing their Greek citizenship, and their last name. Pavlos described his father as "strict but very loving." He also announced that he was now living in Greece again, which he had "always wanted to." He explained that his job allowed him to work from overseas. When asked about the last name "Glücksburg", Pavlos said he would never see it as his name. He said it was a family line, not a last name. He explained that he always introduced himself as "Pavlos of Greece." Pavlos also said he was interested in Greek politics but would not get involved. He still hoped to get his Greek passport back.
Pavlos and Marie-Chantal attended the 2023 British Fashion Awards. Pavlos was seen with an eye patch. He later explained on Instagram that he had surgery for a problem with his eye and that it was successful. He had to spend Christmas in London because he could not travel. Between January and February 2024, Pavlos and his family attended three services to remember his father one year after his death. After one service, Pavlos and Nikolaos thanked the public for their support. On September 28, 2024, Pavlos was a groomsman at his sister Theodora's wedding in Athens.
On December 19, 2024, Pavlos, his five children, and his four siblings asked to become Greek citizens again. Their citizenship had been taken away in 1994. Pavlos's mother, Anne-Marie, did not apply. To get citizenship, they had to promise loyalty to the Greek government and choose a last name. They chose "Ντε Γκρες" (De Grèce), which means "of Greece." They said they chose this name because it was used by a relative, Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark. The next day, Pavlos and his family's citizenship was given back to them. This means that those who are old enough must complete military service. Some people in the government and professors had different opinions about the chosen surname and the decision.
Family Life
Pavlos married Marie-Chantal Miller, an American heiress, on July 1, 1995. They had met at a party three years earlier. Their Greek Orthodox wedding in London was a big event with many royal guests. After their wedding, they lived in Greenwich, Connecticut, in the U.S., because of Pavlos's job. Later, he worked in New York City. In 2004, they moved to London for their children's education.
The couple has five children: Maria-Olympia (born 1996), Constantine-Alexios (born 1998), Achileas-Andreas (born 2000), Odysseas-Kimon (born 2004), and Aristidis-Stavros (born 2008).
Pavlos enjoys sailing and has been part of the crew on a large sailboat called Mari-Cha IV. This boat is owned by his father-in-law, Robert W. Miller.
Titles and Awards
From birth, Pavlos was the person expected to become King of Greece. He was called the Crown Prince of Greece and addressed as Royal Highness. However, after Greece stopped having a monarchy in 1973, these titles are no longer officially recognized by the Greek government. Because he is related to Christian IX of Denmark, he is also a Prince of Denmark and is addressed as Highness.
Family Awards
Greek royal family:
Grand Master of the Order of the Redeemer
Grand Master of the Order of the Order of Saints George and Constantine
Grand Master of the Order of George I
Grand Master of the Order of the Phoenix
Awards from Other Countries
Denmark:
Knight of the Order of the Elephant (January 14, 1997).
Received the Commemorative Medal for the 25th anniversary of Queen Margrethe II's rule.
See also
In Spanish: Pablo de Grecia para niños
