Born June 2, 1940, Constantine grew into a noted sportsman, earning his home country of Greece it's first Olympic gold medal since 1912 in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome for sailing. Constantine assumed the throne as King beginning in 1964, when he was still 23. In the same year, he married Danish Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark, a triple third cousin and sister of the current Danish queen, Margrethe II. However in 1973, a military junta displaced him from power.
A restoration of his power was set to a vote of the populace in 1974, after a royal edict he attempted failed to overthrow the government. The Greek plebiscite voted in favor of overthrowing the monarchy by a two-thirds vote. Living in exile, Constantine told his supporters to respect the decision of the populace. However, he still refused to officially abdicate the throne.
A law passed in 1994 stripped him of his Greek citizenship, passport, and property unless he adopted a surname. Constantine refused to comply. He still refers to himself as "King Constantine." He is one of ten displaced monarchs who still use their titles, claim rights to their thrones, and interact with other ex-royals in hopes of one day reclaiming their families' former glory throughout Europe.
