Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Princess Tatiana of Greece have announced their divorce after 14 years of marriage.The heartbreaking news was announced by the Greek royal family on 19 April.
"Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana after fourteen years of living together, have decided to dissolve their marriage. Both express the difficulty of this decision, the deep appreciation and respect they have for each other, but also the love with which they have walked all these years," the statement read.
"The same values of respect and understanding will form the basis of their relationship in the future, a relationship of deep and sincere friendship. They will continue to live and work in Greece, a place where they both feel at home. The family will always be at their side. Thank you very much for your respect and discretion."
Nikolaos and events planner Tatiana walked down the aisle on 25 August 2010, and their wedding proved to be the event of the year, with several European royals in attendance including Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and future kings Felipe VI of Spain and Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
The engagement was confirmed on 29 December 2009, with a simple statement from Nikolaos' father, which read: "HM Queen Anne-Marie and I are delighted to announce the engagement of our son Nikolaos to Tatiana Blatnik."
Although the couple were married for 14 years years, they didn't welcome any children during their time together. However, she found joy as an aunt, commenting in 2021: "Being an aunt is one of the biggest blessings in my life. My niece and nephew bring so much joy and happiness to everyone in our family. They are wise beyond their years and are some of the best teachers, constantly teaching me new things."
Arriving at her wedding, Tatiana was breathtaking in an ivory Angel Sanchez gown with a chantilly lace overlay, teamed with a matching bolero and full-length veil. Completing the regal yet feminine look was a pair of diamond drop earrings and the antique corsage tiara, that came from her mother-in-law Queen Anne-Marie.
Nikolaos and Tatiana married at the 19th-century monastery of Ayios Nikolaos. The after-party continued with a reception overlooking the ancient harbor amidst the backdrop of the Mediterranean's crystal waters lapping against Garifalo beach.
Speaking to Vogue after her wedding, Tatiana said: "I do not feel like a princess. I do not feel that I married a prince, with a title. Well actually, yes, he is my prince, but nothing more. It's a privilege, and an honor, to be part of the family."
In a surprise confession, Tatiana admitted that becoming a royal had little impact on her life, as she explained: "I live a very simple life here. I work, I go to the supermarket, I cook, I walk my dog, and the Greek people have welcomed me like they would anyone else. There's a word here, philoxenia, a love of strangers, and I've really felt that very strongly here."
The couple were last seen together on 27 February, when they were in attendance at a service of thanksgiving for Nikolaos' late father, King Constantine, who died on 10 January 2023. The royals wore black outfits for the solemn occasion and arrived at St George's Chapel in Windsor alongside Nikolaos' sister, Princess Alexia.
The monarchy of Greece existed between 1832 and 1924 before being re-established in 1935 before finally being abolished in 1974 following a referendum. The last monarchy in Greece hailed from the House of Glucksburg, which previously had rulers in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and northern Germany. The Greek monarchy still had a close bond with the Danish royal family, with Queen Anne-Marie hailing from the country.
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The royal family was overthrown in Greece after Constantine attempted to launch a counter-coup against the military junta that had taken control of Greece in 1967. Constantine fled the country when his coup failed and the junta held a referendum in 1973 which abolished the monarchy. When parliamentary democracy was restored to the country a year later, a second referendum was held, but the result was the same.