Greek royals Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana announce shock divorce

Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana, of the non-reigning royal family of Greece, have officially announced their divorce after a 14-year-marriage.

The split was described as a difficult decision that will foreshadow an ongoing relationship between the two royals, an official statement released on Friday said.

“Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana, after fourteen years of living together, have decided to dissolve their marriage,” the Office of the former Royal Family of Greece announced.

Stream the world’s best reality, entertainment and true-crime shows free on 7plus

“Both express the difficulty of this decision, the deep appreciation and respect they have for each other, but also the love with which they have walked all these years.

“The same values of respect and understanding will form the basis of their relationship in the future, a relationship of deep and sincere friendship.

“They will continue to live and be active in Greece, the place they both feel at home. Family will always be by their side.”

The Greek monarchy was abolished in 1973 following a navy counter-coup and a short-lived dictatorship, after which the nation was named a republic via plebiscite vote — Constantine II, the last king of Greece, fled to the UK where his son Nikolaos was born and raised in exile.

Nikolaos and his wife Tatiana married in 2010, three years before they returned to Athens, where they lived together for a number of years before their divorce.

While the family remained styled as royals, the prince and princess also maintain non-royal roles — Nikolaos works as a business consultant and as a successful photographer, and Tatiana is a cookbook author and founder of mental health organisation Breathe.

The prince and princess were publicly seen together weeks ago, linking arms at the funeral of the former King Constantine II in February.

Constantine II was King Charles III’s second cousin and good friend, and named the godfather of Prince William, who was absent at the late Greek ruler’s funeral amid the then-mystery surrounding his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnosis.

– With NBC