Greek Royals

[violante]

Why does everyone, who doesn´t know them personally keep on saying that they are unhappy?
Maybe the are not unhappy at all....and they look very happy whit their new baby and the other kids.

[Mouse]

I have read that King Constantine tried to get directly involved in Greek politics to the point of asking a democratically elected prime minister to resign. And then, when a military coup took over, he just let them do it. True? If so, it would also explain why he's not exactly Mr. Popularity in Greece.

[Oxynia]

mouse, the conflict you refer to was with Georgios Papandreou who was the prime minister when Constantine succeeded his father to the throne.

Papandreou had only been in office for less than a year and attempted to take responsibility for the Ministry of Defense but the king blocked the move because he wanted the defense to be in the hands of his support base, the conservative right-wing. Papandreou's son Andreas had been alleged to be involved with a radical left-wing military group and Constantine did not want even a hint of left-wing influence to seep into the government because it threatened his position. Papandreou ended up resigning the next year (1965) although I am unclear as to whether it was a result of a demand from the king.

Constantine's interference in politics alienated everyone on the left and after the prime minister resigned (he was a centrist figure), there was a bit of chaos which made it possible for the military to stage its coup of the government. Many people blame Constantine for that happening.

Greece was then plunged into seven years of military rule that disrupted the country's stability and it is no exaggeration to say its effects are still felt today, both politically and culturally. Greeks are pretty unforgiving when someone betrays them and Constantine's putting of himself and his selfish needs ahead of the needs of the country was a pretty big betrayal.

But it should come as no surprise to anyone - he has a history of doing just that. For example, when he was deposed, he was given the chance to retain his Greek citizenship and live among the people as one of them only without his title and he refused. It was more important to him to be called "your majesty" than to be called a Greek. Shame.

That simple act is all anyone ever needs to know about this man's priorities and sense of identity. Nothing would ever come between me and my Greek citizenship. It's too important to me, an ordinary citizen. I could only imagine what it would have meant to a king.

So now when he cries his crocodile tears over missing his "homeland" you can remind yourself that his exile is largely self-imposed. If he loved Greece the way he claims, he would not be in the position of having to live outside of its borders today.

[Mouse]

What of Constantine's mother, Queen Frederica? I've heard she was a Nazi supporter. True or false?

[violante]

Have always heard that she was demanding, bossy and very much disliked!

[nuharoo]

I have read that King Constantine tried to get directly involved in Greek politics to the point of asking a democratically elected prime minister to resign. And then, when a military coup took over, he just let them do it. True? If so, it would also explain why he's not exactly Mr. Popularity in Greece.

He did. The left wing was getting more powerful and stupidly he tried to counteract it by getting control of the military. Unfortunately it instituted a military dictatorship and the royal family faced execution. They escaped with the help of the English royal family that provided a ship for them to get on. Prince Philip's father Andrew faced execution until he was released. Philip himself was carried as a baby in a plastic crate.

[Metizia]

Um you are mixing two different events.

[nuharoo]

donarulli said:

Um you are mixing two different events.

Sorry, but I do remember that a few royals, if not the entire family, faced execution.

On a different note, several people on various messageboards concerning the royals are talking a little about how Princess Theodora is considered very eligible for marriage to Prince William.

So now when he cries his crocodile tears over missing his "homeland" you can remind yourself that his exile is largely self-imposed. If he loved Greece the way he claims, he would not be in the position of having to live outside of its borders today.

And to think, if he had not interfered on politics, used his brain instead of his ego, he could even still be king today.

[Deleted]

Yeah, Prince Andrew was imprisoned in the 1920s-the coup with Constantine II took place in what, the 1960s? And he was the son of the first King of Greece, George, so he would have been Constantine's great-uncle.


ETA: By "first King of Greece", I mean, the first of the Glucksburg dynasty. George and his wife, Queen Olga (a Romanov Grand Duchess) were rather popular-they both made an effort to learn the language, and Olga was a very sweet, gentle person. I think they'd both be appalled.

[nuharoo]

I think they'd both be appalled.

I wouldn't blame them. The whole family is becoming a freakish sideshow, and I never knew that a Romanov Grand Duchess was once Queen of Greece. Thanks for the info.