Editing Constantine II of Greece (section)

===Accession and marriage===
[[File:Prins Constatijn en prinses Anne-Marie, Bestanddeelnr 254-7439.jpg|thumb|Constantine with his wife [[Queen Anne-Marie of Greece|Anne-Marie]] in 1964]]
In 1964, Paul's health deteriorated rapidly. He was diagnosed with [[stomach cancer]] and underwent surgery for an [[ulcer]] in February. Prior to this, Constantine had already been appointed [[regent]] for his ailing father while waiting for his recovery.{{sfnm|Hourmouzios|1972|1p=155|Van der Kiste|1994|2pp=183–184}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Ailing Greek King Names Son Regent|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/21/ailing-greek-king-names-son-regent.html|access-date=29 April 2016|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=21 February 1964|archive-date=24 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160724083556/http://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/21/ailing-greek-king-names-son-regent.html|url-status=live}}</ref> During his regency, Constantine limited himself to signing decrees and appointing members of the government, as well as accepting their resignations.<ref name="euronews">{{cite news|title=Απεβίωσε ο τέως βασιλιάς Κωνσταντίνος – Μητσοτάκης: «Η Ιστορία θα τον κρίνει δίκαια και αυστηρά» |url= https://gr.euronews.com/2023/01/10/ellada-apeviose-o-teos-vasilias-konstantinos|work=[[Euronews]]|date=11 January 2023|language=el}}</ref> As the king's condition worsened, the crown prince went to [[Tinos]] to attain an icon considered miraculous by the [[Greek Orthodox Church]]. On 6 March 1964, Paul died and the 23-year-old Constantine succeeded him as King of the Hellenes.{{sfn|Van der Kiste|1994|p=184}}{{sfn|Mateos Sáinz de Medrano|2004|p=135-136}}{{sfn|Tantzos|1990|p=102-104}} The new king ascended the throne as Constantine II, although some of his supporters preferred to call him Constantine XIII to emphasize the continuity between the former [[Byzantine Empire]] and the [[Kingdom of Greece]].{{sfn|Dimitrakis|2009|p=107}} On 23 March 1964, he was sworn in before the [[Hellenic Parliament|parliament]] and was invested as chief of the armed forces with the highest ranks in each branch.<ref name="kathi" /><ref name="sansi">{{cite news|title=Κωνσταντίνος Β': Ο τελευταίος Βασιλιάς της Ελλάδας|url=https://www.sansimera.gr/biographies/2333|work=Sansimera|language=el}}</ref>

Due to his youth, Constantine was also perceived as a promise of change. Greece was still feeling the effects of the Civil War and society was strongly polarised between the [[royalist]]-conservative right wing and the liberal-[[socialism|socialist left]] wing. The accession of Constantine came shortly after the [[1964 Greek legislative election|election]] of [[Center Union|centrist]] [[Georgios Papandreou|George Papandreou]] as prime minister in February 1964, which ended 11 years of right-wing rule by the [[National Radical Union]] (ERE). The Greek society hoped that the new king and the new prime minister would be able to overcome past dissensions.{{sfn|Dimitrakis|2009|p=107}}<ref>{{cite news|title=Κωνσταντίνος Β': Ο τελευταίος Βασιλιάς της Ελλάδας|url=https://www.kathimerini.gr/politics/562227454/teos-vasilias-konstantinos-pente-ellines-kai-xenoi-istorikoi-grafoyn-gia-ton-rolo-toy-stin-elliniki-istoria/|work=Kathimerini|date=14 January 2023|language=el}}</ref> Later that year, on 18 September, [[Wedding of Constantine II and Princess Anne-Marie|Constantine married]] [[Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark]] in a [[Greek Orthodox]] ceremony in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. Anne-Marie was the youngest daughter of [[King Frederik IX]], and she and Constantine were third cousins.<ref name="kathi" />