continuation of hello article
What do you think of the concept of monarchy at the end of the 20th century?
I think if you look at countries that have a constitutional monarchy, they’re thriving and doing very well; they’re very stable. But I don’t think you can say that any country is doing any better or any worse as a result of the fact that they have a king or queen.
I do believe there’s a lot of benefit in having a royal family since they are above politics. They are a unifying force and symbol for the nation. They are brought up to understand their position and be as close to the people as possible. Their job is to serve the people. It is also to try to set them a good example of high standards. A king or queen in a constitutional monarchy is not actually the decision-maker of the country. The decisions are made by the elected government and parliament.
What did you do after you left school and before you went to study in Washington?
I went to Sandhurst and did four years with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, an excellent cavalry regiment. It’s an excellent regiment and was the first to be called out to the Gulf War. Unfortunately, I had left as a full-time officer about three months before the whole thing started and by the time they were being sent out, I was well into my university studies. I offered to return to the Army but they didn’t take reserves.
What was the reason you chose international relations as a university course?
As an undergraduate, you choose something you like but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the profession you’re going to take on. Essentially for the whole of my life I’ve been around the political arena and international affairs and that was always my interest. I thought I had a chance of doing well in those subjects if I studied them seriously.
I actually stayed on for an extra two years to take a masters degree at the same university where my cousin, Prince Felipe of Spain, was also studying. Now I’m running my own career, and have moved into the economics and financial side of life.
Tell us about your business.
I started with two partners and we’ve set up as fund managers. I’m proud of doing that. I started out working with other people but now I’ve got my own business with my own partners. That gives you a certain independence, but there’s a lot of hard work involved; failure is only yours and you can’t blame anybody else. Things are going well; it’s a tough market to work in but I think we have the most professional people one can have and we’re steering a steady course.
What do your clients call you?
I go by Prince Pavlos. I think it makes it easier. When you say Prince Pavlos in America, people don’t necessarily realise that you’re a royal prince, therefore they don’t have a preconceived idea of who they’re talking to, especially if it’s on the telephone.
My business card just has Prince Pavlos on it, no HRH or anything like that. They think that my first name is Prince and my surname Pavlos! I like to leave it as simple is that—if they know they know, if they don’t they don’t. I’m not bothered.
What is your family’s surname?
Unfortunately, we don’t have one. As we descend from the Danish royal family, we don’t have one and never did.
Where do you consider your home to be?
My parents have lived in Hampstead in London for many years now, so that’s their home. I’ve started my own family—I have two children and a beautiful wife so my home is where I make it and at the moment that’s New York.
But always, since I was a young boy, I have considered home as being back in Greece, even though I haven’t lived there since I was seven months old. I’ve been back but have never lived there as such. I grew up with a Greek education and went to a Greek school and so my whole background is like I lived in Greece—I just haven’t.
Where is your home at the moment?
In Manhattan on the Upper East side. We live in an apartment which used to be my wife’s, and then her sister took it on when she got married, and then she moved out into her own house and we moved in, so it’s been changing hands.
Marie-Chantal, do you lead a particularly busy life in New York?
It’s divided between my children and different obligations I have, like involvement with various charities and fundraising projects. I’m also preparing a book, which will hopefully turn into a series, consisting of all the fairy stories I loved best as a child. I re-tell and illustrate the stories—I love to draw. The first one is just about finished.
All the proceeds are going to a children’s charity called Sand Castles which Pavlos and I have set up. The first place to benefit from this will be a children’s hospital in New York which specialises in congenital heart and lung diseases in newborn infants.
Prince Pavlos, do you have a favourite pastime?
I love playing sports, especially polo, tennis and skiing. And in the summer time, sailing. At other times I play squash and go to the gym. In New York I like to play indoor polo during the winter and outdoor during the summer. Apart from enjoying my children I don’t have any hobbies; I’m completely unartistic, unlike my wife.
Would you say you were a religious person?
I’m not overly religious, but I have a strong Greek Orthodox background; I enjoy going into church and I hold my faith quite closely but it doesn’t rule my life. I believe in God but I also believe that one has to be very open to everybody’s religion. I think that if you look into it everybody’s religion comes down to the same principal—there is a God and we’re here for a purpose and thus must live to certain standards. Each religion has given us a few different ideas on what the standards should be and how you should go about being a good person.
What language do you speak at home?
I speak to my wife in English and when I’m with my parents we swap between English and Greek.
King Constantine, these are your first grandchildren; how do you feel about them.
They’re adorable, absolutely adorable. It feels wonderful to be a grandfather; I highly recommend it. I’m called Apapa and my wife is Amama—those names traditionally go back 200 or 300 years in the Danish royal family, in the Russian family, and in the English family. So does Tino, which is what my family call me. My grandson’s name is also abbreviated to Tino, as was my grandfather’s. But it is only used within the family.
Is Constantine Alexios third in line to the Greek throne?
Well, there is no throne at the moment, but in the sense that he is second after his father.
Do you see a lot of them?
You never see your grandchildren enough and when you do, you savour every moment with them and whether here, or at Christmas or when we go to New York we try to spend as much time as possible with them. Although we live in London, we go to New York quite often so we have a chance to see them.
What ideas or values would you like to instill in them?
The same values that their parents have. Olympia is great friends with our youngest son Philippos who’s nearly 13. She calls him Porto. To her, he's the most important person of the previous generation.
Queen Anne-Marie, how does it feel to be a grandmother?
It's quite a strange feeling actually because I didn't expect it and, also because I've got two children who are quite a bit younger than the older ones, it's a funny feeling, but it's wonderful; it's great. The age difference between Olympia and her younger aunt and uncle is smaller than some of my children and them. I think this probably makes me feel younger; it certainly keeps one going.
What do you most look forward to doing with them?
As time goes by, I so much look forward to being able to take them out and do fun things with them. My son is trying to teach Olympia Greek at the moment, but it's not an easy language to learn.
King Constantine, do you miss Greece?
Of course I do. Nostalgia is a Greek word. I think about my country all the time.