Greece’s former royal family seeks to reclaim citizenship

From left, Pavlos, son of former king of Greece Constantine II, Nikolaos, son of Constantine II, former Queen Anne-Marie of Greece, Philippos son of Constantine II, Marie-Chantal, wife of Pavlos, and Olga, daughter of Michael, late cousin of the late Duke of Edinburgh (Michael Varaklas/AP)

Members of Greece’s former royal family have applied for Greek citizenship and formally acknowledged the country’s republican system of government, in a landmark move 50 years after the monarchy was abolished, officials confirmed on Friday.

The late King Constantine II and his family members were stripped of Greek citizenship in 1994 in a dispute with the government over formerly royal property and over claims that he refused to renounce any right to the Greek throne for his descendants.