Princess Irene’s funeral takes place in an emotional atmosphere

The funeral of Princess Irene, who passed away at the age of 83 last Thursday (January 14), will take place at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens.

Early on Monday morning, her body was transferred to the chapel of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, where it was laid in state for public viewing.

Once the mystery has been solved, Princess Irene will be buried in the family tomb in Tatoi, alongside her brother Constantine and her parents, Paul and Frederica.

Last Saturday (17 January), her body was also placed in a public lying-in-state at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saints Andrew and Demetrius in Madrid.

Princess Irene’s health had deteriorated rapidly in recent months. Until early 2025, the princess—who was already using a wheelchair—continued to accompany her sister, Queen Sofia, to a wide range of public events and official engagements.

Her last public appearance was in February 2025, when she travelled to Athens for the wedding of her nephew, Prince Nikolaos, to Chrysi Vardinogianni.

The Spanish royal family issued a statement confirming that King Felipe VI’s aunt passed away at 11:40 a.m. on Thursday (15 January) in Madrid.

Members of the Spanish royal family and the House of Glücksburg attended the funeral. The Danish royal family was also represented, given the close family ties, as Anne-Marie was the sister of Queen Margrethe and the aunt of the current king.

From the British royal family, the House of Windsor was represented by Sir Timothy Laurence, husband of Princess Anne, and Lady Gabriella Kingston.