Constantine, the last king of Greece, dies at 82

Constantine, the former and last king of Greece, has died at a private hospital in Athens, his doctors announced late Tuesday. He was 82.

Staff at the private Hygeia Hospital in Athens confirmed to The Associated Press that Constantine has died after treatment in an intensive care unit, but had no further details pending an official announcement.

When he acceded to the throne as Constantine II at the age of 23 in 1964, the youthful monarch, who had already achieved glory as an Olympic gold medalist in sailing, was hugely popular. By the following year he had squandered much of that support with his active involvement in the machinations that brought down the popularly elected Center Union government of prime minister George Papandreou.