Constantine II of Greece - Later Life

Later Life

Following the abolition of the monarchy, Constantine has repeatedly stated that he recognises the Republic, the laws and the constitution of Greece. He told Time, "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".

Until 1994, Constantine's official Greek passport identified him as "Constantine, former King of the Hellenes." A law passed in 1994 stripped him of his Greek citizenship, passport, and property. The law stated that Constantine could not be granted a Greek passport unless he adopted a surname. He continues to use the title "King Constantine," although he no longer uses "Constantine, King of the Hellenes".

He is also frequently referred to as Mr. Glücksburg; this reference to his family dates back to at least 1935 when Archimandrite Christoforos Ktenas referred to the late King Constantine I of Greece as "Ντίνος Γλυξβούργος" (Tino Glücksburg), in his book on Mount Athos. Glücksburg was mainly used by opponents of constitutional monarchy, and drew attention to the fact that the Greek royal family is not of Hellenic origin.

Today, this appellation is more widespread and also draws attention to the fact that Constantine's family lacks a legal surname in Greece. Constantine has stated: "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." Glücksburg, he said, was not a family name but the name of a town. "I might as well call myself Mr. Kensington."

In 2004, Constantine was back in Greece temporarily during the Athens Olympic Games as a member of the International Olympic Committee. He freely travels in and out of Greece on a Danish diplomatic passport, as Constantino de Grecia (Spanish for "Constantine of Greece"). This, because Denmark (upon request) issues diplomatic passports to any descendants of King Christian IX and Queen Louise. However, Constantine is a Prince of Denmark in his own right.

During his first visit to Greece using this passport, Constantine was mocked by some of the Greek media, which hellenized the "de Grecia" designation and used it as a surname, thus naming him Κωνσταντίνος Ντεγκρέτσιας ("Constantine Degrecias"). Recently, Constantine has reportedly bought a sizeable piece of land on the Saronic coast south of Athens.

Constantine and Anne-Marie now live in the London suburb of Hampstead, where Constantine is a close friend of his second cousin Charles, Prince of Wales and a godfather to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, his second cousin once removed.

Constantine and Prince Charles are second cousins because their grandfathers (King Constantine I of Greece and Prince Andrew of Greece, father of the Duke of Edinburgh) were brothers. Constantine is twice a third cousin of Elizabeth II, as both are great-great-grandchildren of King Christian IX (Elizabeth through her great-grandmother Queen Alexandra, consort of Edward VII) as well as of Queen Victoria (Constantine through his grandmother Queen Sophia, daughter of Victoria, Princess Royal). Constantine is also a great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria, through his mother Queen Frederika, daughter of the Kaiser's daughter, Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia. Constantine's parents were first cousins once removed. As with other exiled royalty, he is invited to royal functions under his former regnal name and title.

On 24 December 2004, Constantine and Anne-Marie and members of the former royal family visited the Presidential Mansion (the former Royal Palace) in Athens where Constantine met President Costis Stephanopoulos, who gave them a tour of the palace.

In 2008 and 2012, during the Olympic Games in Beijing and London, Constantine II, in his role as honorary member of the International Olympic Committee, was the official presenter at the sailing medal ceremonies.

Constantine II is also Co-President of Honour of the International Sailing Federation with King Harald V of Norway, since 1994.