This was reported by the state radio and the state press agency in the evening. The ex-monarch’s health had deteriorated in recent days following a stroke. According to government sources, he will be buried in a grove of his family’s former summer palace in northern Athens.
Constantine II was the country’s last king. Ten years after he ascended the throne as King of the Hellenes in 1964, the monarchy in Greece was abolished by referendum. The former king maintained close ties to the British royal family. In 1982, he even became godfather to Prince William.
His entire family has been by his side in recent days, including his wife Anne-Marie, the sister of the Danish queen, and their five children. His sister, the Spanish Queen Mother Sofia, also traveled to Greece at the weekend, the state radio reported.
Death is likely to lead to mourning, especially among the older Greeks. Konstantin was in the headlines from an early age.
The playboy life of the young Crown Prince Konstantin is legendary in the country. Experienced journalists still tell about secret meetings with a successful actress. He would have had a lot of fights with his mother. Konstantin was also successful in sports: in 1960 he and two other Greek sailors won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Rome in the then dragon class.
After ascending to the throne in 1964, he was one of the youngest monarchs in Europe. In the same year he married the then 18-year-old Danish princess Anne-Marie. The Athens wedding was subsequently televised in many countries.
Constantine II, initially inexperienced, soon became embroiled in disputes with the political leadership. He made a fatal mistake: on April 21, 1967, a military group staged a coup in Greece. To avoid – as he repeatedly said – bloodshed, Constantine tolerated the coup plotters. He posed for a photo with them and even signed the agreement to form a military government. Many Greeks have never forgiven him for that.
After the restoration of democracy, the monarchy was abolished in Greece in December 1974. Nearly 70 percent of voters voted against Constantine in a referendum.
Painful years of disputes with his native country followed. He was expropriated and only compensated after a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in 2000. After that, relations with both the governments and the Greeks normalized. Konstantin bought a villa on the Peloponnese peninsula and spent several months of the year at home. (sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
