Greek royal family
| King of Greece | |
|---|---|
| Βασιλεύς τῆς Ἑλλάδος | |
Coat of arms
|
|
HM Constantine ΙΙ of Greece
|
|
| Details | |
| Style | His Majesty |
| First monarch | George I |
| Last monarch | Constantine II |
| Formation | 1863 and again in 1935 |
| Abolition | 1924 and again in 1973 |
| Pretender(s) | Constantine II |
| Website | greekroyalfamily |
The Greek Royal Family (Greek: Ελληνική Βασιλική Οικογένεια) is a branch of the House of Glücksburg that reigned in Greece from 1863 to 1924 and again from 1935 to 1973. Its first monarch was George I, the second son of King Christian IX of Denmark. He and his successors styled themselves "Kings of the Hellenes". Most members of the dynasty (aside from the last king to reign, Constantine II and his queen consort, Anne-Marie of Denmark) hold the title Prince or Princess of Greece and Denmark with the style Royal Highness, except Marina, Consort of Prince Michael, and their daughters Princess Alexandra and Princess Olga.
The family came to the throne after the overthrow in 1862 of the first king of the independent Greek state, Otto of Bavaria. In a referendum, the Greeks elected Prince Alfred of the United Kingdom, the second son of Queen Victoria, as their new king, but the candidature was rejected by the Great Powers, who refused to permit any member of their respective royal families to ascend to the Greek throne. A search for other candidates ensued, and eventually, the Greeks offered the throne to Prince William of Denmark, the second son of the future King Christian IX, and younger brother of the new Princess of Wales and who was of the Danish Glücksburg Dynasty. He received six votes in the referendum, the Greek National Assembly proclaimed him king as George I, and he arrived in Greece in October 1863. George I would marry Grand Duchess Olga Constaninovna of Russia, and would have seven surviving children. After a reign of fifty years, George I was succeeded by his eldest son, Constantine I, who had married Princess Sophia of Prussia, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria and sister of Kaiser Wilhelm II, in 1913. In turn, all three of Constantine's sons, George II, Alexander and Paul, would occupy the throne.
...
Wikipedia