At least four elegant horse-drawn carriages, among them one used during the wedding of Queen Sophia and King Juan Carlos of Spain at their Athens nuptials in 1962, have been discovered at the former royal estate of Tatoi in northern Athens.
“Until now, no one was sure of their whereabouts or condition,” the Friends of Tatoi Society, a citizens’ group which supports the restoration of the estate, said in a press release.
This new development will ensure the creation of a Museum of Royal Carriages and Cars in Tatoi to exhibit the spectacular finds, the group says, adding that the first restoration efforts are expected to start soon.
It is not clear how the extremely ornate carriages somehow escaped discovery all these years.
The horse-drawn carriage was purchased by King George I around 1871, while it originally belonged to Prince Henri, Count of Chambord.
The carriage was modified by painting the coats of arms of the Greek dynasty over those of the French.