Juan Carlos: At the memorial service in Windsor he leans on his son Felipe

Juan Carlos
At the memorial service in Windsor he leans on his son Felipe

Constantine of Greece, †82, died on January 10, 2023 and was buried a short time later at a funeral service in Athens. A memorial service for the former king will take place on February 27, 2024 in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Next to Constantine’s son Prince Pavlos, 56, and his wife Marie-Chantal, 55, Queen Camilla, 76, and Spanish royals also paid their last respects to the ex-king. Former King Juan Carlos, 86, who has been in exile since 2020, came to the church together with King Felipe, 56, and Queen Letizia, 51. The monarch literally gives his father a helping hand.

King Felipe gives his father Juan Carlos a helping hand

Juan Carlos was photographed with the royal couple in front of St. George’s Chapel. The 86-year-old, who uses a walking stick, also holds on to Felipe’s forearm. An extremely rare sight, after all the relationship between father and son is said to have been tense since Juan Carlos fled Spain after the bribery scandal. At the beginning of last year, José “Pepe” Fanjul, 80, an old friend of the king emeritus, emphasized that Juan Carlos and Felipe were once very close. “I don’t know exactly what the relationship is like at the moment, but he did everything he could to help his son and he always will,” Fanjul told Vanitatis.

Now it’s Felipe who helps his father. The two also seem to get along well in the chapel. Letizia sits between her husband and her father-in-law, but the Spanish royals have a lively conversation before the service begins. As he leaves the church, the regent finally stops and waits for his father to support him again.

In recent months, the Old King has leaned on him

In recent months and years, Juan Carlos, who suffers from mobility problems, always had his bodyguard, Lieutenant Colonel Vicente Garcia-Mochales, with him when he made public appearances. At the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth, †96, on September 19, 2022 and at the birthday party of his eldest daughter Infanta Elena, 60, in December 2023, the old king leaned on his bodyguard.

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The fact that King Felipe has now taken on this role could be a sign of a rapprochement between father and son.

Sources used: vanitatis.elconfidencial.com, gettyimages.de

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