“Traitor to Your King”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 410, 19 July 1928, Page 1

“Traitor to Your King”

GIRL BITES VENIZELOS

Asked to Kiss His Hand

(United P.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and X.Z. Press Association.J Received 9.5 a.m. ATHENS, Wednesday. A YOUNG woman approached M. Venizelos, the Prime Minister, and asked permission to kiss his hand, whereupon she bit it, exclaiming, “ You are a traitor to your King

The ex-King George 11. of Greece was born in 1890 as the eldest son of the then Crown Prince, who was later King Constantine. In 1917 King Constantine was forced to abdicate and his second son Alexander became King.

Alexander died in 1920, and King Constantine was recalled. He reigned for two years, but again was forced to abdicate in 1922, after the disastrous

campaign in Asia Minor. King George *ll. then came to the throne. In March, 1924. the Greek Republicans, of whom M. Venizelos was one. seized power in Athens and next day proclaimed the Republic and deposed the King, and he had to leave Greece. He proceeded to Bucharest, from which city he issued a protest against his deposition. He has since largely divided his time between Rumania and England. In the autumn of 1926. following a period of upheavals in Greece, there were rumours that an attempt would be made by the Royalists to restore the monarchy, but one of their leaders declared then that such a step would damage Greece’s credit, as it would be believed abroad that ever' election there would bring a change of regime. In January of this year it was reported from Rome, where the exiled King was staying, that his friends believed that the King would shortly n - turn to Greece to resume his monarchy. In February. 1921, King George had married Princess Elizabeth of Rumania, a daughter of the late King Ferdinand.