What does King Constantine do?

[Gutsy]

The Greek Royal Family always seemed to have been much poorer and less well-housed than the other dynasties. It was part of the gwoing criticism of the 1960's that the late Queen Mother and the young King were too lavish in their style and expenditures. Given the lively irreverence and quarrelsome nature of the Greeks its a wonder the monarchy lasted as long as it did.

[ChevalieurduCiel]

Quarrelsome nature of Greeks....mmmmmm!Irreverence??About the first i totaly agree,about the second I don't.I think that irreverence is cultivated into Greeks...

[Wallis]

Originally Posted by ChevalieurduCiel

Quarrelsome nature of Greeks....mmmmmm!Irreverence??About the first i totaly agree,about the second I don't.I think that irreverence is cultivated into Greeks...

The Greeks are the founders and inventors of democracy. I'm not surprised that they never really warmed up to the idea of a monarchy. Perhaps instead of the word "quarrelsome," the Greeks should be described more as "headstrong"?

[Wallis]

I'm sorry ChevalieurduCiel, but I did not mean to put that smiley face on your quote. I guess I'm technically handicapped.

[Diogenes]

Originally Posted by Gutsy

The Greek Royal Family always seemed to have been much poorer and less well-housed than the other dynasties. It was part of the gwoing criticism of the 1960's that the late Queen Mother and the young King were too lavish in their style and expenditures. Given the lively irreverence and quarrelsome nature of the Greeks its a wonder the monarchy lasted as long as it did.

That wasn't the straw that broke the camel's back.. The Greeks grew gradually disgruntled because of the queen mother's interference in politics (quite unlike QEII).
You are right, Greeks and unelected despots just don't go well together :-)

[Piaa]

Isn't it true that a politician actually slapped Queen Frederica in the face (or was it the other way around?)

[Daytona]

Originally Posted by Piaa

Isn't it true that a politician actually slapped Queen Frederica in the face (or was it the other way around?)

If i remember correctly it was Konstantinos Karamanlis prime minister at that time that slapped Frederica.Karamanlis did not have the best relations with the queen because she was interffering a lot with politics,she was asking constantly money etc.

[iannis]

Originally Posted by Piaa

Isn't it true that a politician actually slapped Queen Frederica in the face (or was it the other way around?)

It was not a politician, but a common woman, during an unofficial visit of Frederika in London. This woman attempted to 'protest' this way because of her left-wing brother being kept in the prison for reasons not having to do with politics though. If I am not mistaken, she didn't manage to actually slap her.

[Little_star]

Is there any truth in the rumours that the Greek Royal Family are basically bank-rolled by Marie-Chantal's family? I've heard this suggestion in the past and wondered if there was any basis to it.

[branchg]

Constantine is not "bankrolled" by the Millers, but he did receive a dowry from Robert Miller when Marie-Chantal married Pavlos. The number I've heard was $30 million, but who knows.

Marie-Chantal has a trust fund worth hundreds of millions that she shares with her two sisters, so there are certainly no money worries for her or Pavlos.

[BeatrixFan]

It was not a politician, but a common woman, during an unofficial visit of Frederika in London. This woman attempted to 'protest' this way because of her left-wing brother being kept in the prison for reasons not having to do with politics though. If I am not mistaken, she didn't manage to actually slap her.

It was outside the Dorchester but the woman didn't manage to slap Frederika. She was hauled off by police and Frederika refused to leave London until she got an apology which the woman did give. Churchill was furious and gave Frederika a horse from The Royal Mews to make up for the incident.

[ChevalieurduCiel]

Originally Posted by Wallis

The Greeks are the founders and inventors of democracy. I'm not surprised that they never really warmed up to the idea of a monarchy. Perhaps instead of the word "quarrelsome," the Greeks should be described more as "headstrong"?

You mean Kafroi or copani????

[ChevalieurduCiel]

Originally Posted by Wallis

I'm sorry ChevalieurduCiel, but I did not mean to put that smiley face on your quote. I guess I'm technically handicapped.

I don't mind !Feel free to do anything,perhaps the handicapped in this forum is only me!!

[kelly9480]

Originally Posted by branchg

Constantine is not "bankrolled" by the Millers, but he did receive a dowry from Robert Miller when Marie-Chantal married Pavlos. The number I've heard was $30 million, but who knows.

Marie-Chantal has a trust fund worth hundreds of millions that she shares with her two sisters, so there are certainly no money worries for her or Pavlos.

Constantine still lives off the handouts from the rich Greeks so there's no way he got the dowry. Miller wouldn't have willingly paid it, and the Greeks wouldn't continue to support him if he had his own money. Each of the sisters has their own trust fund -- I think around 200million, though whether that's dollars or pounds, I haven't heard -- they don't share one.

[Diogenes]

Originally Posted by Daytona

If i remember correctly it was Konstantinos Karamanlis prime minister at that time that slapped Frederica.Karamanlis did not have the best relations with the queen because she was interffering a lot with politics,she was asking constantly money etc.

You are probably quite right, although another apocryphal version makes Konstantine the recipient of the then prime minister's wrath.

Karamanlis was very much a ladies man and a lot was said at the time about his love/hate relationship with Frederica. At the same time he was pretty much a 'man's man' who didn't take any nonsense. Needless to say, eleven years of self-exile in Paris finally made a gentleman out of him!:)

[iannis]

Originally Posted by ChevalieurduCiel

You mean Kafroi or copani????

I am of the opinion that κάφροι suits them best!

[Stefanie]

If there are still rich Greeks who support Konstantin they may expect a return service. What kind of return service is Konstantin able to give?And who belongs to such rich Greek persons?Was Konstantin good friend with Onassis?

[kelly9480]

According to someone who knows them, they still consider him to be their king, and they see him as a friend who needs financial assistance they can easily afford to provide. I'm not sure whether Constantine was friends with Onassis, I know he was friends with Latsis, even though Latsis also gave money to the Greek government that deposed him. Onassis or one of the other shippers gave Friederike that massive sapphire she was seen wearing in some 1950s-1960s photos.

[iannis]

When Princess Sofia was about to get married to Juan Carlos in 1962 and there was a great dispute between the government and the people with regard to the overwhelming dowry of 9,000,000 drachmas the palace wanted to give to her, Onassis also offered to pay it himself, so Greeks would stop arguing.

[ChevalieurduCiel]

.......Happy Name's Day Your Majesty