Greece’s highest administrative court, the Council of State, has brought a long-running legal dispute to a close, ruling that members of the country’s former royal family hold Greek citizenship and may use the surname De Grèce.
The decision, reached after closed-door deliberations, is expected to be formally published in the coming weeks. Once released, it will definitely settle questions surrounding both the family’s citizenship status and their registered surname.
Who is covered by the ruling
The ruling applies to ten members of the former royal family, including the children of the late Constantine II of Greece and Anne-Marie of Denmark:
- Pavlos De Grèce
- Nikolaos De Grèce
- Philippos De Grèce
- Theodora De Grèce
- Alexia De Grèce
It also includes the five children of Pavlos:
- Achileas-Andreas De Grèce
- Odysseas-Kimon De Grèce
- Constantine-Alexios De Grèce
- Aristidis-Stavros De Grèce
- Maria-Olympia De Grèce
The court confirmed that all ten individuals enjoy full rights as Greek citizens, including the right to vote and to run for public office under the Constitution.
How the citizenship process began
The case traces back to 2024, when Interior Minister Theodoros Livanios issued a declaratory act under Law 2215/1994.
Under that law, members of the former royal family were required to:
- Accept the constitutional order established after the 1974 referendum, abolishing the monarchy
- Declare respect for the Constitution and parliamentary democracy
- Renounce any claims to royal titles or privileges
- Register officially in the citizens’ registry
According to court records, all requirements were met, with the family formally stating they had no claims against the Greek state.
Legal challenge rejected
The case was brought by Panagiotis Lazaratos, a professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, who sought to annul the citizenship decisions.
He argued that the use of the surname De Grèce could revive symbols of social hierarchy and undermine equality, citing constitutional concerns.
However, a seven-member panel of the court rejected the challenge, ruling that:
- The surname does not violate constitutional provisions
- The ministerial decision granting citizenship was lawful
- No threat to the democratic order or social cohesion exists
The panel was chaired by Vice President Spyridoula Chrysikopoulou, with Haido Evangeliou serving as rapporteur.
With this ruling, the Council of State of Greece has removed the final legal obstacle to the citizenship status and surname use of the former royal family members.
The decision effectively closes a sensitive chapter in modern Greek history, affirming that the individuals in question are fully recognised as citizens of the Hellenic Republic—without legal ambiguity over their identity or rights.
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