The last king of Greece died in an Athens hospital

According to Interfax, the monarch, who reigned from 1964 until the abolition of the monarchy in the country at the end of 1974, was taken to the clinic last week.

"He had a stroke", - the report says.

King Constantine belonged to one of the branches of the Danish Glucksburg dynasty. She ruled in Greece from 1863 with a break for the republican period in 1922-1935.

The future monarch was born on June 2, 1940. His parents were at that time King Paul I, who had not yet ascended the throne, and Frederica of Hanover. In his youth, Konstantin was fond of sports. He won the Olympic gold medal in sailing in the Dragon class in 1960. Then for a long time he was a member of the International Olympic Committee, was the honorary President of the International Sailing Federation World Sailing.

A year after Constantine's accession to the throne, a government crisis occurred in the country in 1965. After him, the "black colonels" came to power. The King failed to offer them substantial resistance. After an unsuccessful attempt at rebellion, the monarch had to flee abroad. In the absence of the king in 1973, the "black colonels" held a referendum. According to its results, the monarchy in Greece was abolished, and a republican form of government was established in the state. Constantine II did not agree with the results of the vote and refused to abdicate.

For many years after these events, the King lived in Great Britain. This choice is not accidental. The late husband of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh is Konstantin's great—uncle, and the current British King Charles III is his second cousin.

While Konstantin was in exile, he was deprived of his property and citizenship in his homeland. It was only shortly before his death that he was able to return to Athens.

Konstantin was married to the Danish Princess Anna Maria, the younger sister of the reigning Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II. The couple has five children: two sons and three daughters.