King's sweet tribute to his late cousin Constantine: Charles is spotted in his Greek-flag tie en-rou

King Charles paid a sweet tribute to his late cousin King Constantine as he was spotted en-route to Buckingham Palace after missing the largest gathering of royalty on British shores since his Coronation.

Camilla lead the British and international royals in a Thanksgiving Service for King Constantine of Greece yesterday, after Prince William pulled out of speaking at a memorial service for his late godfather, a year after his death.

Dressed in a dark overcoat, navy suit and a smart white shirt, Charles could be seen today wearing a tie covered in fluttering Greek flags in an apparent tribute to the former King.

King Charles III missed the service as his treatment for cancer continues, while Prince William had been due to give a reading but pulled out for ‘personal reasons’.

The ceremony saw Camilla host 23 members of the extended British Royal family and 37 European royals, making it the largest gathering since the Coronation. 

Charles was at Windsor Castle earlier in the day but left before the service began – with the reception afterwards hosted by Camilla. 

The King was later photographed waving while being driven into Clarence House, his London residence, where he stayed until this morning.

Dressed in a dark overcoat, navy suit and a smart white shirt, Charles could be seen today wearing a tie covered in fluttering Greek flags in an apparent tribute to the former King

The tie appears to be covered in fluttering Greek flags the day after the monarch was absent from his cousin’s service

King Charles III missed the service as his treatment for cancer continues, while Prince William had been due to give a reading but pulled out for ‘personal reasons’

Waving to onlookers through the car’s open window, Charles looked quietly assured as the car drove along the mall this morning

The monarch could be seen smiling gently as he looked out of the car, sitting in the back seat as the vehicle covered the small distance between the royal residences

His departure was quickly followed by Camilla, who arrived at Clarence House in a separate car just minutes after he left

Waving to onlookers through the car’s open window this morning, Charles looked quietly assured as the car drove along the mall this morning. 

The monarch could be seen smiling gently as he looked out of the car, sitting in the back seat as the vehicle covered the small distance between the royal residences. 

And his departure was quickly followed by Camilla, who arrived at Clarence House in a separate car just minutes after he left.

Yesterday’s service saw the Queen take on a central role as she  appeared calm and confident in an elegant pinstripe outfit as she stepped up as the most senior figure representing the British monarchy in Charles’ absence.

Prince Andrew enjoyed a prominent role as he led fellow royals on foot to the service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. 

His appearance also comes as the Royal Family mourns the sudden death of Lady Gabriella Windsor’s husband Thomas Kingston, who was found dead aged just 45 at an address in Gloucestershire on Sunday evening, with emergency services called to the scene shortly after 6pm.

The King has previously worn a tie emblazoned with the country’s fluttering flags in a sartorial choice that left tongues wagging in December – as he delivered a speech amid a diplomatic spat between the Mediterranean country and Britain. 

He took to the stage at the COP28 climate conference to make an urgent plea for nations to work together to combat climate change ahead of 2050 – the year by which the UK, among other countries, has committed to net-zero carbon emissions.

King Charles III at the opening of COP28 in Dubai on Friday, wearing his distinctive tie patterned with fluttering Greek flags

The tie is stitched with patterns of fluttering Greek flags – which could be a nod to his Greek father, Prince Philip

Prince Andrew leads members of the Royal Family to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle yesterday to attend a thanksgiving service for the life of the late King Constantine of Greece

Queen Camilla is seen at St George’s Chapel yesterday as she attends the thanksgiving service

But suggestions were made that the King appeared to make an altogether different plea for international co-operation with his choice of tie, stitched with a pattern of Greek flags fluttering in the wind. 

Charles was also pictured wearing the tie whilst in conversation with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – who days ago before had snubbed a meeting with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis over the Elgin Marbles.

The Greek press seized upon his fashion choices, claiming that it could be interpreted as a ‘gesture of support’ for the country in its decades-long war of words over the artefacts, which were taken from Athens more than 200 years ago. 

The British Crown was represented by Princess Anne, Charles’s sister, at Constantine II’s funeral in Greece last year following his death in January 2023. 

Constantine was the last member of a century-long dynasty, and had reigned for just three years when an army dictatorship seized control of the country in 1967. 

Last night, the unexpected death of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent’s ‘exceptional’ son-in-law has sent shockwaves through the Royal Family and left friends in a state of deep shock. 

Tributes have now been paid to the financier, who during his previous career with the Foreign Office was posted to Iraq before volunteering with British clergyman Canon Andrew White. 

He narrowly avoided a terrorist attack on St George’s, the country’s only Anglican church, in 2004. 

Kingston’s wedding with the daughter of Princess Michael of Kent at St George’s Chapel mirrored that of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle just a year earlier. 

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