Editing Alexander of Greece (section)

==Early life==
[[File:Children of King Constantine.jpg|thumb|Alexander with four of his siblings in 1905. Clockwise from far left: [[Helen of Greece and Denmark|Helen]], [[George II of Greece|George]], Alexander, [[Paul of Greece|Paul]] and [[Princess Irene, Duchess of Aosta|Irene]].]]
Alexander was born at [[Tatoi Palace]] on 1 August 1893 (20 July in the [[Julian calendar]]), the second son of [[Constantine I of Greece|Crown Prince Constantine of Greece]] and [[Princess Sophia of Prussia]]. He was related to royalty throughout Europe. His father was the eldest son of King [[George I of Greece]] by his wife, [[Olga Constantinovna of Russia]]; his mother was the daughter of [[Frederick III, German Emperor]], and [[Victoria, Princess Royal]] of the United Kingdom.<ref name="Montgomery-Massingberd, p. 327">Montgomery-Massingberd, p. 327.</ref> His parents' cousins included King [[George V]] of the United Kingdom and Emperor [[Nicholas II]] of Russia. [[Wilhelm II]], German Emperor, was his maternal uncle.<ref>Carter, p. xi</ref>

Alexander's early life alternated between the [[Presidential Mansion, Athens|Royal Palace]] in [[Athens]], and Tatoi Palace in the city's suburbs. With his parents he undertook several trips abroad and regularly visited [[Schloss Friedrichshof]], the home of his maternal grandmother, who had a particular affection for her Greek grandson.<ref name=vdk62>Van der Kiste, p. 62.</ref>

Though he was very close to his younger sister [[Helen of Greece and Denmark|Helen]], Alexander was less warm towards his elder brother, [[George II of Greece|George]], with whom he had little in common.<ref name="sdm174">Sáinz de Medrano, p. 174.</ref> While George was a serious and thoughtful child, Alexander was mischievous and extroverted; he smoked cigarettes made from blotting paper, set fire to the [[games room]] in the palace, and recklessly lost control of a toy cart in which he and his younger brother [[Paul of Greece|Paul]] were rolling down a hill, tipping his toddler brother a distance of {{convert|6|ft|abbr=on}} into [[brambles]].<ref name="vdk62"/>