Crowd boos government officials at funeral of Greece’s last king
Constantine will be buried in Tatoi, where his ancestors are also laid to rest.
Greek government officials were booed by a crowd gathered outside the Athens Metropolitan Cathedral on Monday (January 16) as they arrived for the funeral of former King Constantine of Greece.
Thousands of people queued for hours outside an adjacent chapel, where Constantine's coffin draped in a Greek flag was placed, to pay their last respects.
Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and Deputy Prime Minister Pagagiotis Pikrammenos, both representing the government at the funeral, were jeered at by people in the crowd as they arrived.
Many supporters of the former king have expressed bitterness that Constantine II was not given an official state burial.
Constantine, a second cousin of Britain's King Charles and godfather to heir Prince William, lived most of his life in exile after a Greek referendum which rejected the monarchy in 1974. He died at the age of 82 last week in an Athens hospital.
Constantine will be buried in Tatoi, where his ancestors are also laid to rest. (Reuters)