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Former King Constantine II (2014 in Athens)
Photo:
Petros Giannakouris / dpa
Greece's former King Constantine II died on Tuesday at the age of 82.
This was reported in the evening by the state radio and the state news agency.
The ex-monarch's health had deteriorated in the past few days after a stroke.
Most recently, his entire family was by his side, including his wife Anne-Marie and their five children.
His sister, the Spanish queen mother Sofia, also traveled to Greece at the weekend, as reported by state radio.
According to government circles, Constantine II is now to be buried in a forest of his family's former summer palace in northern Athens.
Playboy, Olympic winner - and one of the youngest monarchs in Europe
Constantine II was the last king of the country.
In 1964 he ascended the throne as King of the Hellenes - ten years later the monarchy in Greece was abolished by referendum.
Death is likely to trigger mourning, especially among the older Greeks.
Konstantin was in the headlines from a young age.
The playboy life of the young crown prince is legendary in the country.
Veteran journalists still tell of secret meetings with a successful actress.
Konstantin is said to have had a lot of arguments with his mother.
The Royal was also successful in sport: in 1960, together with two other Greek sailors, he won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Rome in what was then the dragon class.
After ascending 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 - she is the sister of the Danish Queen.
The wedding in Athens was then televised in many countries.
Constantine maintained close ties to the British royal family.
In 1982 he became Prince William's godfather.
Early in his reign, Constantine engaged in disputes with the political leadership.
Then, on April 21, 1967, a military group staged a coup in Greece.
In order – as he repeatedly said – to avert bloodshed, Constantine tolerated the coup plotters.
He had his picture taken with them and even signed for the formation of a military government.
Many Greeks have never forgiven him for that.
Without abdicating, Constantine went into exile: first to Rome, later to London.
After the restoration of democracy, the monarchy in Greece was abolished in December 1974.
Almost 70 percent of voters voted against Constantine in a referendum.
Painful years of disputes with his native country followed.
Konstantin was expropriated and only compensated after a decision 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.
aar/dpa
