The Palace of Tatoi in Greece not far from Athens, the former home of the Greek royal family now put up for sale. In 1973, when the country abolished monarchy, all properties owned by King Constantine II were seized by the new Greek government, now the country is incurring heavy debt and need to sale some of its state-owned buildings including this palace. It is still not known if King Constantine II, who is now permanently residing in London, is interested in re-purchasing his former home.
Greece is no longer a monarchy since the country had abolished it in 1973 when military staged a coup against King Constantine II who is now permanently residing in London with his wife, Queen Anna Marie, a sister to Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and their children. But the Greek royal family is still considered one of the most prominent members of the European monarchy, thus still included in the royalty news, they also retained their royal titles as personal courtesy styles.
King Constantine II, a godfather to Prince William, is the brother of Queen Sophia of Spain and the closest cousin of Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. Constantine's father, the late King Paul, was a first cousin to Charles' father, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, through King George I of Greece.
After the family fled Greece, they settled temporarily in Italy then moved to London to seek asylum. King Constantine II then established a residence there and founded a family business. But in the 1990s he visited Greece and purchased a property in a secluded island. After the abolition of the monarchy, the Greek government seized the royal family's property including the beautiful Palace of Tatoi which had been the family's seat of court for the past decades.
The Greek royal family from left Queen Anna Marie, King Constantine II, Princess Alexa and her husband, Princess Theodora and Prince Philippos
To get back what is due to his family, King Constantine II went to European court of Human Rights to sue the Greek government on his ancestors properties which had been acquired legally and thus should be rightfully inherited by him and his descendants. In 1992, the 400 acre estate was awarded to him but in 1994 a new regulation brought back the agreement in 1973 where royal family could not take anything from the estate in Greece related to the monarchy, so the Palace of Tatoi went back to the government and the King was only given a compensation of less than 1% on the palace's value which by all means very harsh.
Since then the Palace of Tatoi became a public property of the Greek government, but due to economic crisis in Greece some of its publicly owned buildings were neglected without maintenance, thus destroying most of Tatoi's structure and surroundings.
King Constantine was not lucky enough in fighting with his properties unlike his great uncle, King Michael I of Romania, who was also exiled by the revolutionists during World War II, and who is now back in Romania. Michael I, a closest cousin of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was able to get back some of his properties including the Palace in Romania.
Now, the pain of losing some of their most valuable properties in Greece is aggravated when the Palace of Tatoi, which, even after decades of vacating the place, is still called by Queen Anna Marie as their "home", is now put up for sale.
The Greek government is heavily indebted and currently experiencing an economic troubles, thus need to sale some of the state-owned buildings. The palace of Tatoi is 400 acres and has several out buildings on it, personnel quarters, store houses, horse stables and a stock farm.
It is not known if King Constantine II is interested in re-purchasing his former home out of sentiments.
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