Greek Royals

[Deleted]

kelly9480 said:

Constantine's father, Pavlos, is still seen as a good monarch by the Greeks. It's his wife and son that are seen as misfits.

Yeah, that's true. His wife though, not so much.

How is Queen Sophie of Spain viewed, since she was a Greek princess?

[kelly9480]

The Greeks I've talked to about Sofia say that she's respected and pretty popular -- for a Greek royal. Anne-Marie's also popular among the Greeks. As is, apparently, Alexia.

[Mouse]

Are there any books about the Glucksburg Greeks?

[kelly9480]

Friederike has one, in German or/and Greek, IIRC. There's at least one book about Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, born a Greek princess. Sofia's got some books, too, but as Queen of Spain. I don't know of any about the Greek monarchs themselves, though. I can ask some Greeks tomorrow, though.

[Deleted]

kelly9480 said:

Friederike has one, in German or/and Greek, IIRC. There's at least one book about Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, born a Greek princess. Sofia's got some books, too, but as Queen of Spain. I don't know of any about the Greek monarchs themselves, though. I can ask some Greeks tomorrow, though.

There's a very old one I have checked out of the library right now called Royal Destiny: the Royal Hellenic Cousins by E. E. P. Tisdale. However, it was published in 1955, and is probably out of print by now.

[Oxynia]

I wouldn't go so far as to call Sofia or Anne-Marie popular among Greek people...they are simply benign and non-irritating, as opposed to the likes of Constantine. Most Greeks are apathetic to royalty or actively opposed to it. Sofia or Anne-Marie may be thought of as likeable, but they're just not thought of enough to be considered popular.

[kelly9480]

In terms of popularity with the Greeks, everything has to be placed in the context of being a member of a very unpopular dynasty. But every Greek I've ever talked to -- even the ones who dislike the monarchy -- like Sofia and Anne-Marie. Sofia is liked as a Spanish Queen, not as a Greek princess, though. Anne-Marie's popularity (she was specifically described as popular by these people) was basically explained to me in terms of the people pitying her being stuck with her husband. Obviously they aren't thought of very often, but when they are, it's without the animosity that surrounds their brother/husband.

I'm developing a list of bios of Greek royals and will add to the list as time passes.

Anne-Marie, Prinsesse af Danmark, Hellernes Dronning
by Gutenberghus Forlaget -- in Danish. The company's website

Otho I: King of Greece ISBN 0000050113
by Bower

King George of Greece ISBN: 1402175272
by Walter Christmas

Alice: Princess Andrew of Greece ISBN: 0312302398
by Hugo Vickers

My Fifty Years: The Memoirs of Prince Nicholas of Greece ISBN: 0977196135
by HRH Prince Nicholas of Greece (Author), Arturo E. Beéche (Editor)

Royal House of Greece ISBN: 0297830600
by Alan Palmer, HRH Prince Michael of Greece

H. M. Konstantine Xiii: King of the Hellenes ISBN: 0938311123
by Nicholas Tantzos

The Wife of King George I of Greece ISBN: 190515917X
by Christmas

Sophie, reine d'Espagne (Broché) ISBN: 2841000109
de Fernando Rayón -- this is obviously in French

***
Okay, got these from some folks at the Franco-Iberian Board. Alberto gave me the books, Manuel the descriptions. Whatever doesn't have a description Manuel said doesn't need to be read.

"La Reina" by Pilar Urbano -- authorized bio

"SOFIA BIOGRAFIA DE UNA REINA"
by Fernando RAYON -- supposed to be really good

"Infancia y juventud de una reina (Sofía de España)"
by Antonio Sahuquillo

"FAMILIA DE LA REINA SOFIA LA DINASTIA GRIEGA, LA CASA DE HANNOVER Y LOS REALES PRIMOS DE EUROPA"
by Ricardo Mateos Sainz de Medrano -- supposed to be very good

"LA REINA SOFIA Album de fotos en color de la vida de la Reina Sofia"
by Covadonga O´Shea -- good pics, not much for text

"La Reina Sofía. Album"
by Luis INFANTE BRAVO

"Memorias, la madre de la reina sofia"
by Queen Frederica de grecia (published in English also)

"sofia de españa, una reina"
by maria eugenia rincon -- supposed to be terrible

"Sofia Reina de España"
by Jose Luis Quintanilla


*********

Okay, some more from Royal Forums.

John van der Kiste: Kings of the Hellenes: The Greek Kings 1863-1974. (1994).

Kunst- und Kulturkreis rastede: Amalia 1818-1875, Herzogin von Oldenburg, Königin von Griechenland. (2004, in German).

Königin Friederike: Erfahrungen. (1976, in German, there might be editions in other languages).

"Anne-Marie, Dronning Uden Rige" (Anne-Marie, queen without a realm), which was written by Sara Blædel and published in 2000

[Oxynia]

kelly, we may be using the word "popular" differently but I think in the end we're saying the same thing. Likeability is one thing and I agree that Sofia and Anne-Marie are thought of as likeable enough. They are just not popular in the sense that they are even remotely on anyone's mind.

I was born and raised in Greece, I can assure you that the people of that country have long since stopped caring about royals of any sort. If you ask what they think of any one of them, they will have specific opinions (as they do on every subject, but that's another story)...Anne-Marie is pitied, Sofia is respected, Tino is abhorred. But Greeks don't spend much time thinking of them at all, so in that sense one cannot consider any of them popular in Greece at all.

[greenbunny]

I read Queen Frederika's autobiogaphy 2 years ago while I was at the mid town public NYPL you can't check it out but have to read it there It's on the 4th fl. She glosses over a number of events but speaks of her children how Sohia got stuck with her name and warning Constantine not to make his "win" of the Olympic Sailing event the huge deal of his life.

[Deleted]

Another book:

For Love of a King-the memoirs of Queen Alexandra of Yugoslavia (mother of the present Serbian pretender and only child of King Alexander).