Princess Anne undertakes major appearance alongside Sir Timothy Laurence as Royal Family mourn loss

Princess Anne has undertaken a major appearance alongside her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence as the Royal Family mourns. 

• The Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence traveled to Greece with the eyes of the world upon them for a very important service.
• The couple paid their respects at the funeral of the last King of Greece, King Constantine at his funeral on January 16.
• This royal news comes as we revealed Princess Margaret’s go-to dinner party game and hatred for squirrels that couldn’t be more *her*.    

Just hours after the release of Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, on January 10 there was immensely sad news for King Charles and Prince William when it was announced King Constantine of Greece had died. As the godfather of the Prince of Wales and the second-cousin of His Majesty, the loss of King Constantine was likely deeply felt by them both. And although speculation had arisen in recent days over which British royals might attend his funeral in Greece on January 16, it was the Princess Royal who has undertaken this major appearance on behalf of the Royal Family.

Accompanied by her husband Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the King’s sister - who is 16th in the royal line of succession - was pictured arriving at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Athens. For this somber and high-profile funeral service, Princess Anne opted for an all-black ensemble. 

Her respectful outfit featured a black coat, matching gloves and handbag with the only other accessories a pair of dainty pearl drop earrings and a diamond brooch. She appeared reflective and was amongst many European royals there including King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain and Queen Margrethe of Denmark. 

King Constantine's widow Queen Anne-Marie and his eldest son Crown Prince Pavlos were also seen frequently as they attended the funeral and greeted fellow mourners. Pavlos had previously told the BBC how greatly his family respected the late Queen Elizabeth, saying that she had “always been a very kind person” to them. 

The Prince represented his late father at her funeral in September 2022. In light of this, it’s perhaps no surprise that the Princess Royal traveled to Greece to pay her respects to King Constantine. 

Nor was she the only British royal to do so, as a member of the extended Royal Family, Lady Gabriella Windsor also attended the funeral. Just like Prince William, Lady Gabriella Windsor was a godchild of King Constantine and her presence alongside Princess Anne and Sir Timothy perhaps highlights even more the bond that Pavlos described the two families as having. 

King Constantine passed away aged 82 in hospital in Athens late on January 10 and had ruled for 9 years before the Greek monarchy was abolished in 1974. He had spent part of his exile living in London and he and Princess Anne had been pictured attending events a number of times over the years, including at his own 70th birthday party in London and a royal silver wedding celebration.

The last King of Greece is also understood to have been a guest at the Princess Royal’s wedding to her first husband Captain Mark Phillips. Her attendance at his funeral comes just days after her visit to Cyprus where Princess Anne’s flawless gray suit proved her style credentials. 

She has been continuing to showcase her dedication to her duties and her family at a time when the eyes of the world are upon the royals more than ever in the aftermath of Spare’s publication.