A CNN affiliate in Greece announced on Tuesday that former Greek King Constantine II had passed away at the age of 82.
Our investigation revealed that the former king had been in poor health for several months before his recent second bout with coronavirus, which looked to have had a profound effect on his state. According to CNN Greece, Constantine tested positive for Covid-19 for the first time in January 2022, after he had been hospitalized the prior month due to pneumonia.
In this post, we will discuss who was Greece Constantine II. I’ll explain the cause of his death and more. If you’re still with me, keep reading.
Who Was Greece Constantine II?
Constantine II was the last King of Greece. He ruled from March 6, 1964, until June 1, 1973, when the country got rid of its monarchy.
King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece had only one child, and that child was Constantine. He spent his early youth in Egypt and South Africa when his family was sent into exile due to the Second World War.
In 1946, at the height of the Greek Civil War, he moved his family back to Greece. Upon the passing of King George II in 1947, Constantine’s father ascended to the throne, making him the titular head of the royal family.
After the death of his father, King Paul, in 1964, he became a monarch. He wed Anne-Marie, Princess of Denmark, later that year, and the couple went on to have five kids. Although the young king’s accession was celebrated at first, political instability during his reign led to the Colonels’ Coup on April 21, 1967. Due to the lack of support from the armed forces, Constantine had few options as leader after the coup. Therefore, he reluctantly agreed to establish the junta on the condition that it be comprised primarily of civilian ministers.
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Greece Constantine II Resign
Paul I’s health deteriorated significantly in 1964. In February, he underwent surgery for an ulcer after a diagnosis of stomach cancer. Even before this, Constantine had been named regent for his sick father. The crown prince, however, traveled to Tinos to retrieve an icon revered by the Greek Orthodox Church as miraculous as the king’s condition deteriorated. Unfortunately, the holy picture was not enough to save the king, and on March 6, 1964, King Paul passed away.
His son, Constantine, then 23 years old, became King of the Hellenes. Some of the new king’s supporters referred to him as Constantine XIII in order to highlight the continuity between the Byzantine Empire and the Greek Kingdom when he ascended the throne as Constantine II.
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He was so young that he represented hope for the future. Greece was still reeling from the communist-monarchist civil war that raged from 1944 to 1949, and the country was deeply divided along royalist/conservative and liberal/socialist lines. Constantine’s coronation in February 1964 coincided with the election of centrist George Papandreou as prime minister, which put an end to the National Radical Union’s authoritarian reign of Greece for 11 years (ERE). Many people had high hopes that the youthful monarch and the new prime minister would be able to put their differences behind them and work together.
Greece Constantine II Death
The death of Greece’s last king, Constantine II, has been confirmed by The Associated Press. He was 82. The cause of his death was revealed by doctors on January 10th. The employees at Hygeia Hospital in Athens reportedly confirmed to the publication that Constantine II had died while being treated in the hospital’s intensive care unit. There is no known explanation for the death.
The ex-king, who is descended from King George II’s younger brother King Paul, achieved a lot in his long and eventful life. Constantine won the gold medal in the Dragon class at the 1960 Olympics before he became king. In 1963, he became a voting member of the International Olympic Committee (a membership he maintained until 1974.)
Constantine II, last king of Greece dies at 82 https://t.co/fJRAh3a76J
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 11, 2023
After his father’s untimely death from illness on March 6, 1964, Constantine took the throne at the young age of 23. Constantine wed the former Danish princess Anne-Marie that same year.
The Associated Press reports that after the Greek monarchy was overthrown in 1973 and democracy was reinstated in 1974, the country no longer recognized the noble titles held by Constantine and his offspring. The outlet claims that after the monarchy fell, Constantine remained in exile, only returning to the country permanently in 2010.
When he wasn’t in Greece, he was reportedly residing in London’s Hampstead Garden Suburb. According to historians, Constantine and his second cousin once removed King Charles III remained close.
His five children Alexia, Pavlos, Nikolaos, Theodora, and Philippos, as well as his wife Princess Anne-Marie and his sister Queen Margrethe II, all survive him. He also has nine grandchildren.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the last Greek king?
Constantine II, King of Greece
Where is Constantine II now?
Athènes, Greece, January 11 (Reuters) – The Greek government announced on Wednesday that former King Constantine II, who died on Tuesday night at the age of 82, would be buried privately at a former royal estate north of Athens.
Is Prince Philip related to Constantine II in any way?
In addition, he was the late Queen Elizabeth II’s nephew, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and a native of Greece.
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