Why Princess Marie-Chantal missed father-in-law's memorial in Greece

Crown Princess Marie-Chantal's late father-in-law was in her thoughts on Wednesday as she attended a special service in New York in remembrance.

The childrenswear designer, 55, was unable to join her husband Crown Prince Pavlos at the private memorial service for King Constantine II in Tatoi, Greece.

But the mother-of-five shared an image as she and her two sons paid tribute on the first anniversary of Constantine's death.

"At the NY archdiocese and thinking of my dear father-in-law and grandfather to my children. 1 year already and so missed," she wrote in an Instagram Stories caption.

The Greek royal family primarily reside in New York but split their time between the Big Apple, London and Greece, where Pavlos' mother Queen Anne-Marie lives.

Crown Prince Pavlos shared a poignant photo of his late father Constantine sailing to mark the anniversary.

Constantine, the last King of the Hellenes, passed away at the age of 82 on 10 January 2023 after suffering from ill health for a number of years.

© Instagram / @mariechantal22

Pavlos was among the late King's close family to attend a private memorial service in Tatoi on Wednesday afternoon, where Constantine is laid to rest next to his parents, Paul of Greece and Princess Frederica of Hanover.

Andreas Megos revealed that the wreaths from family members, including Constantine's wife Queen Anne-Marie, as well as his children, grandchildren and his siblings, were placed on the tomb at the memorial service.

Constantine became King of Greece in 1964 following the death of his father, King Paul.

However, the military regime which ruled Greece at the time proclaimed a republic and abolished the Greek monarchy in 1973.

© Getty

After living in London for several years, Constantine returned to Athens in 2013, where he resided until his death.

Crown Prince Pavlos is the current head of the Greek royal family. He married Marie-Chantal in 1995 and the couple share five children - Princess Maria-Olympia, Prince Constantine-Alexios, Prince Achileas-Andreas, Prince Odysseus-Kimon and Prince Aristidis-Stavros.