Royal Profile: King Constantine II of Greece
King Constantine II of Greece was born 2 June 1940 as the middle child and only son of King Paul I & Queen Fredrica {Source}. He has two sisters, a brother-in-law, two nieces, a nephew, four great nieces, and four great nephews{Source}:
Shortly after his birth, he and his family went into exile in South Africa{Source}. The royal family eventually returned to Greece, where Constantine began speaking fluent Arabic with servants and staff{Source}. His uncle, King George II died in 1947, without any heirs, therefore, his father became King Paul I, and he became Crown Prince of Greece{Source}.
Beginning in 1949, he attended Aanavryta High School in Greece {Source}. During his education, he also undertook military training on the weekends{Source}. As the only son, he took an oath of allegence to the Greek military (army, navy and air force) in 1958{Source}.
In 1960, he became the first Greek to win an Olympic Gold Medal since 1912{Source}. He achieved this in Sailing (Dragon Class){Source}. After the Olymics, he began to study law at Athens University{Source}. During this time, he also undertook a visit to the United States, to see military and industrial establishments{Source}.
His diplomatic education began at a young age, and he often attended state visits with his parents-Italy, UK, West Germany, Lebanon, Ethiopia, India, and Thailand, where he met many world leaders{Source}.
In March 1964, his father died, leaving Constantine as King of Greece{Source}.
Later that same year, he married Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark{Source}. Together, they have the following children, children-in-law and grandchildren:
After his accession to the throne, King Constantine was faced with a challenging internal situation. There were riots in the hot days of July 1965 after the resignation of Papandreou as Prime Minister{Source}. Just before elections were due to be held in May 1967, there was a 'coup d'etat' by Army Colonels{Source}.. King Constantine was faced with conflicting pressures, but always put the safety of the people at the top of his agenda{Source}.In December 1967, King Constantine went to Kavalla, in the north of Greece, to lead an attempt to overthrow the military junta in order to restore democracy{Source}. He soon recognized that any further action could result in bloodshed, so left with his family for Rome, where he lived until 1973{Source}. Frequent requests were made to the King to return, but he refused to do so unless democracy was first restored{Source}. On 1 June 1973, King Constantine was formally deposed by Papadopoulos, leader of the coup, and a Republic declared{Source}.
During 1973, King Constantine flew regularly from Rome to Cambridge to attend a course in political history at the University{Source}. The following year, he and his family moved to England - where they have lived ever since. After a short period in Chobham, Surrey, he settled in Hampstead, on the northern heights of London{Source}. However, in recent years, he has returned to Greece and placed their London home up for sale {Source}.
In 1980, a few years prior to the births of his youngest children, he, his wife and members of the expat Greek community in London founded a Greek school, The Hellenic College of London for students from age 4 to 18{Source}.
In 1981, he and his family returned briefly to Greece for his mother's funeral {Source}. His next visit wouldn't take place for another 12 years in 1993, where he spent two weeks privately{Source}. In 1994, his citizenship to Greece and took over his properties-a move which was eventually vindicated by the family with the European Court of Human Rights in 2000{Source}. Although properties have been reembursted to the family monetarily, the case of their citizenship has yet to be decided by the courts{Source}.
The deposed king is a member of many committees, chairman of many boards, and fufills many philanthropic activities. Some of his patronages include{Source} :
King Constantine is a devout member of the Orthodox Church, enjoys classical music (opera and ballet), spending time with his grandchildren and re-visiting favorite places in Greece with his family {Source}.
- Queen Sofia of Spain (1938)
- King Juan Carlos I of Spain (1938, m. 1962)
- Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo (1963)
- Don Felipe Juan Froilán de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbón (1998)
- Doña Victoria Federica de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbón (2000)
- Infanta Cristina of Spain (1965)
- Iñaki Urdangarín
- Don Juan Urdangarín y de Borbón(1999)
- Don Pablo Urdangarín y de Borbón (2000)
- Don Miguel Urdangarín y de Borbón (2002)
- Doña Irene Urdangarín y de Borbón (2005)
- King Felipe VI of Spain (1968)
- Queen Letizia of Spain (m. 2004)
- Leonor, Princess of Asturias (2005)
- The Infanta Sofia of Spain (2007)
- Princess Irene of Greece & Denmark (1942)
Shortly after his birth, he and his family went into exile in South Africa{Source}. The royal family eventually returned to Greece, where Constantine began speaking fluent Arabic with servants and staff{Source}. His uncle, King George II died in 1947, without any heirs, therefore, his father became King Paul I, and he became Crown Prince of Greece{Source}.
Beginning in 1949, he attended Aanavryta High School in Greece {Source}. During his education, he also undertook military training on the weekends{Source}. As the only son, he took an oath of allegence to the Greek military (army, navy and air force) in 1958{Source}.
In 1960, he became the first Greek to win an Olympic Gold Medal since 1912{Source}. He achieved this in Sailing (Dragon Class){Source}. After the Olymics, he began to study law at Athens University{Source}. During this time, he also undertook a visit to the United States, to see military and industrial establishments{Source}.
His diplomatic education began at a young age, and he often attended state visits with his parents-Italy, UK, West Germany, Lebanon, Ethiopia, India, and Thailand, where he met many world leaders{Source}.
In March 1964, his father died, leaving Constantine as King of Greece{Source}.
Later that same year, he married Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark{Source}. Together, they have the following children, children-in-law and grandchildren:
- Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark (1965)
- Carlos Morales Quintana (m. 1999)
- Arrietta Morales y de Grecia (2002)
- Ana María Morales y de Grecia (2003)
- Carlos Morales y de Grecia (2005)
- Amelia Morales y de Grecia (2007)
- Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, Prince of Denmark (1967)
- Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece (m. 1995)
- Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece & Denmark (1996)
- Prince Constantine-Alexios of Greece & Denmark(1998)
- Prince Achileas-Andreas of Greece & Denmark (2000)
- Prince Odysseus-Kimon of Greece & Denmark (2004)
- Prince Aristidis-Stavros of Greece & Denmark(2008)
- Prince Nikolaos of Greece & Denmark (1969)
- Princess Tatiana of Greece & Denmark (m. 2010)
- Princess Theodora of Greece & Denmark (1983)
- Mr. Matthew Kumar (engaged November 2018)
- Prince Philippos of Greece & Denmark (1986)
After his accession to the throne, King Constantine was faced with a challenging internal situation. There were riots in the hot days of July 1965 after the resignation of Papandreou as Prime Minister{Source}. Just before elections were due to be held in May 1967, there was a 'coup d'etat' by Army Colonels{Source}.. King Constantine was faced with conflicting pressures, but always put the safety of the people at the top of his agenda{Source}.In December 1967, King Constantine went to Kavalla, in the north of Greece, to lead an attempt to overthrow the military junta in order to restore democracy{Source}. He soon recognized that any further action could result in bloodshed, so left with his family for Rome, where he lived until 1973{Source}. Frequent requests were made to the King to return, but he refused to do so unless democracy was first restored{Source}. On 1 June 1973, King Constantine was formally deposed by Papadopoulos, leader of the coup, and a Republic declared{Source}.
During 1973, King Constantine flew regularly from Rome to Cambridge to attend a course in political history at the University{Source}. The following year, he and his family moved to England - where they have lived ever since. After a short period in Chobham, Surrey, he settled in Hampstead, on the northern heights of London{Source}. However, in recent years, he has returned to Greece and placed their London home up for sale {Source}.
In 1980, a few years prior to the births of his youngest children, he, his wife and members of the expat Greek community in London founded a Greek school, The Hellenic College of London for students from age 4 to 18{Source}.
In 1981, he and his family returned briefly to Greece for his mother's funeral {Source}. His next visit wouldn't take place for another 12 years in 1993, where he spent two weeks privately{Source}. In 1994, his citizenship to Greece and took over his properties-a move which was eventually vindicated by the family with the European Court of Human Rights in 2000{Source}. Although properties have been reembursted to the family monetarily, the case of their citizenship has yet to be decided by the courts{Source}.
The deposed king is a member of many committees, chairman of many boards, and fufills many philanthropic activities. Some of his patronages include{Source} :
- The Ana Maria Foundation
- Round Square (patron and chair)
- International Sailing Federation (co-honorary president)
- International Olympic Committee (Honorary member)
King Constantine is a devout member of the Orthodox Church, enjoys classical music (opera and ballet), spending time with his grandchildren and re-visiting favorite places in Greece with his family {Source}.
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