C. FresnedaLondon Correspondent
London Correspondent
Updated Tuesday, February 27, 2024-18:14
Album Those Present at the Windsor Funeral
Royal Houses Substitutes, increasingly relevant in the modern Monarchies of the 21st century
Prince
William
has been the
big absentee
at the conclave of European royalty in tribute to
King Constantine of Greece
, held on Tuesday at St. George's Chapel in Windsor.
The heir to the British Crown even appeared in the official program, but he excused his presence at the last minute
citing "personal reasons"
and left Queen Camilla as the highest representative of the British monarchy (in the absence of King Charles undergoing treatment for cancer). specified).
The "sit-in" of Guillermo, who resides with his family in the Adelaide chalet in the Windsor complex and
less than 10 minutes walk from the castle
, triggered alarms about the
state of health of his wife, Kate Middleton
, still convalescing from the abdominal operation she underwent in January.
Kensington Palace has tried to quell the rumors by assuring that the Princess of Wales
"is fine"
, without giving further details.
Despite temporarily assuming the duties of representing his father at public events,
Guillermo has not exactly lavished himself
in front of the cameras.
His last appearance in public was 10 days ago at the Bafta awards.
Last week, however, he made headlines for an unusual statement alleging that the Gaza offensive had caused "too much human suffering" and expressing his desire for the conflict to end "as soon as possible."
Kensington Palace warned two weeks ago that William
would combine his official acts with his family obligations
for the duration of Kate Middleton's recovery, at least until Easter.
The entire family (with children George, Charlotte and Louis) reportedly spent a few days in Sandringham during the recent school break in February, before returning to the modest Adelaide chalet where they live.
Guillermo's absence was confirmed with just half an hour left before the start of the thanksgiving ceremony in honor of Constantine.
The prince
personally telephoned the family of the last Greek king
, who was also his godfather, to justify his absence at the last moment.
His name even appeared in the special program with a reading from the Book of Revelation, 21, 1-7: "I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared and the sea no longer existed. ....".
The queen, accompanied by her sister-in-law
Camilla's loneliness, in a black outfit and hat, was clearly evident at the entrance to St. George's Chapel, in the required greeting to the Dean of Windsor, Reverend Christopher Cocksworth, along with Constantine's widow, Anne Mary of Greece. .
Princess Anne surrounded the queen
in the private ceremony, which had initially been scheduled for the end of January at Westminster Abbey and was postponed precisely due to Charles III's prostate surgery.
The act highlighted the problems that the double absence of the monarch and the Princess of Wales is causing the British monarchy.
Prince
Andrew
and ex-wife
Sarah Ferguson
, looking good despite his recent diagnosis of skin cancer, in fact received much of the media attention.
Princess Beatrice, Tim Laurence, Zara Philips and Mike Tindall occupied the benches reserved for the royal family.
The British aristocracy was widely represented at the funeral with the presence of the Kents, the Gloucesters and the Mountbattens, who were the direct link between the two royal houses through Philip of Edinburgh, cousin of Constantine of Greece.
King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Doña Sofía
(Constantino's sister)
, Juan Carlos I and the Infantas Elena and Cristina
also attended the ceremony.
Curiously,
Charles III
was at Windsor Castle until shortly before the ceremony began.
The king was photographed
leaving the complex before guests arrived
, and shortly afterwards entering Clarence House, his London residence.
Despite being temporarily withdrawn from public events while undergoing cancer treatment, the king
has occasionally been seen at mass on Sundays
next to his Sandringham residence, where he spends most of his time.
Last week he met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in person for the first time in the last month.
Charles has recently sought the "spiritual advice" of Archimandrite Ephraim, abbot of the Orthodox monastery of Monter Athos.
"We have been in contact since his diagnosis and I believe he will overcome it," Abbot Ephraim told several Greek media.
"Carlos has a sophisticated spiritual life."