Constantine II of Greece

Constantine II (Κωνσταντῖνος Βʹ, Τέως Βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἑλλήνων, Konstantínos Βʹ, Teos Vasiléfs ton Ellínon; 2 June 1940 – 10 January 2023) was the former King of Greece, reigning from 6 March 1964 until the abolition of the Greek monarchy on 1 June 1973.

• I consider myself King of the Hellenes and sole expression of legality in my country until the Greek people freely decide otherwise. I fully expected that the [military] regime would depose me eventually. They are frightened of the Crown because it is a unifying force among the people.
  • As quoted in W.J.P. Curley (1975) Monarchs In Waiting, pp.39-41

• I don't have a name - my family doesn't have a name. The law that Mr. Papandreou passed basically says that he considers that I am not Greek and that my family was Greek only so long as we were exercising the responsibilities of sovereign, and I had to go out and acquire a name. The problem is that my family originates from Denmark, and the Danish royal family haven't got a surname.
  • "King Without a Country," Vanity Fair (July 1995)

• If the Greek people decide that they want a republic, they are entitled to have that and should be left in peace to enjoy it.
  • "Throneless abroad: The men who would be king" TIME magazine (Jun. 3, 2002/Vol. 159 No. 22)

• Sadly, he's mean as well as stupid, and takes advantage of our generosity.
  • Asadollah Alam (1991), The Shah and I: The Confidential Diary of Iran's Royal Court, 1968-77, page 310

• I've always been a republican, naturally, and I certainly can't say I sympathise with Constantine... I'm not interested in stating whether or not I like him. What interests me is whether or not he's useful in the fight against the junta.
  • Alexandros Panagoulis, as quoted by Oriana Fallaci (June 1972), as quoted in Intervista con la Storia (sixth edition, 2011) p. 875

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