Prince Nikalaos of Greece and Princess Tatiana announced their “amicable” separation after 14 years of marriage in a statement that shocked royal fans around the world.
The royal couple married in a lavish wedding in 2010 and appeared together in public earlier this year at a memorial service for the prince’s father, King Constantine II, in Windsor.
But despite their long union and marriage that seemed idyllic on the surface, the couple may have had stark differences even from the beginning.
While Nikalaos, 54, loves Greece with all his heart, it was a difficult adjustment for his wife when they moved there permanently in 2013.
Tatiana, 43, seemed to embrace royal life but is said to have never felt completely at home in the countryside and was more comfortable wearing jeans and sneakers than the royal tiara and sash.
Princess Tatiana and Prince Nikolaos of Greece have announced their shocking separation, but Tatiana never quite fit into royal life. Pictured the day before her wedding in 2010.
After Greek media reported rumors of a split for months, the couple released a statement announcing their split on the royal website.
It read: ‘We wish to inform you of a significant and heartfelt decision made by HRH Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana.
‘After fourteen years of marriage, they have decided to amicably dissolve their union.
‘This decision was made with great care and mutual respect, reflecting the depth of appreciation for each other and the moments they have shared.
‘Your future interactions will continue to be guided by these same principles of respect and understanding, as you transition into a relationship rooted in a strong friendship.
‘They will continue to live and build their lives in Greece, a place they both call home. The Family will always support them.”
The couple married in August 2010 on the Greek island of Spetses.
The wedding, which was described as ‘Mamma Mia, but with aristocrats’, was attended by royals from around the world, including monarchies from the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Spain.
The couple seemed to have the most idyllic relationship and married in 2010 on the Greek island of Spetses.
Princess Tatiana and her husband appeared together in public just a few weeks ago for King Constantine’s funeral.
But the sensible Tatiana already seemed at odds with the extravagance of Greek royal life, and asked the nobles and princes present to change their formal clothes for caftans and sandals.
Shortly after her wedding, she admitted: ‘I don’t feel like a princess. I don’t feel like I married a prince, with a title. Well, actually yes, he is my prince, but nothing more.
Tatiana was born in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, and went to boarding school in Switzerland before studying sociology at Georgetown.
She met her future husband in 2003 during a skiing holiday in Switzerland and announced their engagement six years later, with the wedding being one of the high society events of the year.
Shortly after the wedding, Princess Tatiana left her job as an event planner for designer Diana Von Furstenberg, MailOnline previously reported.
He lived in Chelsea in London and visited Greece with Nikalaos for the first time in 2004, before moving there permanently in 2013.
Nikalaos, who grew up in Britain, had always dreamed of living in Greece, but his wife didn’t feel the same way.
The aristocrat did not speak any Greek and told him Fashion about her feelings upon arriving in the country, which already showed how uncomfortable she felt.
Prince Nikolaos (right), 54, and Princess Tatiana (left), 43, married in August 2010.
The couple announced their separation on Friday after 14 years of marriage. In the photo: Princess Theodora, Princess Tatiana and Prince Nikolaos in 2021
She told the fashion magazine: “I remember when we arrived, it felt like everyone was traveling in the opposite direction.”
In the same interview, she revealed that her new real life was quite different from what one would expect.
He continued: ‘I live a very simple life here. I work, I go to the supermarket, I cook, I walk my dog and the Greek people have welcomed me like anyone else.’
Tatiana attempted to immerse herself in Greek life, partnering with the charity Boroume to provide meals and publishing a cookbook called A Taste Of Greece, as well as making great efforts to learn the language.
Over time, she said she became more comfortable living in the country, and the royal announcement indicated she will continue to live there. The couple does not have children.
King Constantine, the last king of Greece before the country abolished its monarchy in 1973, died of a stroke in Athens last year at the age of 82. He was also close to British royalty and was godfather to Prince William.
Tatiana is also known for her father’s broken engagement to Natalie Wood, the glamorous American model who suffered a mysterious death after a boat accident.
Shoe maker Ladislav Blatnik was engaged to Wood before they separated in 1965.
Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana photographed in 2010, before they were married, attending the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling.
Nikolaos’s father, Constantine II (right, with William and Catherine) was close to the British royal family: Charles III was his second cousin, while Charles III was his second cousin.
Wood died on November 29, 1981 during a weekend trip to Santa Catalina Island on her husband Robert Wagner’s yacht.
The cause of death was confirmed to be drowning, but how he entered the water in the first place was never determined.
In 2018, Wagner himself was named a person of interest in the case and there were reports that the couple had been arguing. In 2022 it was announced that all leads were exhausted and the case remains unsolved. Blatnik committed suicide when Tatiana was only seven years old.