Constantine II of Greece

Constantine II (Greek ???????????? ?', born June 2, 1940), was the last King of Greece from March 6, 1964 to June 1, 1973. His official title was King of the Hellenes (???????? ??? ???????).

Public Opinion

As a young prince, Constantine was a popular socialite, gaining popularity for his athletic achievements (including his Olympic medal), and his tendency to mix with other Athenians at social functions and athletic events. According to some sources, his rise to the throne was widely welcomed by the population who had hoped that he would lead the country to a more modern and more open period. The young king instead chose to continue the conservative ways of his father, a fact many blamed on the influence of his mother, Frederika.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To this day, many Greek people and most Greek politicians blame Constantine II for the chaos that had led to the 1967 coup. Constantine Karamanlis dismissively described Constantine as Paul's naughty little boy. Karamanlis was also scathing in his radio address in the evening of December 8, 1974, as the polling returns became known. "A carcinoma was resected today from the body of the nation" he declared, succinctly epitomising the public mood.

Related Topics:
Constantine Karamanlis - December 8 - Carcinoma

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In more recent years, his legal battles again the Greek state became the fodder of bad publicity. His family's insistence on using royal titles is frequently mocked in the press, where he is most frequently referred to simply as "o teos" ("the former").

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~