Greek sovereigns expected to leave for Bucharest

December 18, 1923

The Associated Press is reporting that King George II and Queen Elisabeth of the Hellenes will leave for Bucharest tomorrow, "making the first stage of a of a journey on a specially chartered Greek steamer."

The Greek premier and other government officials have "signed the letter requesting the King leave Greece after they had been interviewed by the military and naval delegations" and other officials in the provinces. 

All of the varying political groups have "urged the removal of the dynasty.  The premier has also received petitions from "officers and men" in the Athens garrison also asking for the removal of King George.

The letter to the king was "couched in rather stern language" and intimated that his departure by evening "at the latest was imperative."

King George, in his reply, stated he would adhere to the suggestions, "made under pressure from the army and navy and the Democratic Party."

The sovereign maintained his position that he had "kept aloof from politics."

He will receive 1,000,000 drachmas, and will also be put on the civil list for a pension of 1,500,000 drachmas.

Earlier today, Queen Elisabeth received a "selection of Court ladies, bidding them farewell."

The supporters for a republic were busy in Athens "laying the groundwork for the move to oust the royal house."   There were shouts of "Down with the King," and anti-royalist demonstrations throughout the city.

The British government will not take any action as the "result of the Greek request for the departure of King George."   Britain regards the matter as a "domestic concern for Greece."

Today's "sensational events" in Athens have shattered Queen Marie of Romania's dream "of a powerful Balkan Federation whose members would be dominated by herself or her children."

Queen Elisabeth is Queen Marie's eldest daughter.
King George II is the eldest son of the late King Constantine, who died last year.  He was born in July 1890.  He married Princess Elisabeth of Romania on February 27, 1921, several weeks before George's sister, Princess Helen, married Elisabeth's eldest brother, Crown Prince Carol.

The dynasty is being blamed for all of Greece's woes.

The official resolution denouncing the monarchy reads as follows:

(1) "The gulf dividing the Hellenes  is due to the Glucksburg dynasty.

(2) That the same dynasty prevented Greece from making a timely entry into the late war on the side of her natural allies for the sake of its family relationships, inside of the opinion expressed by the people in the elections of 1915;

(3) That owing to King Constantine's personal insistence on the adoption of a treacherous policy in violating the treaty with Serbia, Greece was dishonored;

(4) That the surrender to the Germans and the Bulgars of Fort Rupel in East Macedonia with one army corps resulted in the deaths of 80,000 people;

(5) That King Constantine's return, in spite of the allied note of Nov. 20, 1920, and his knowledge of the consequences, resulted in the Asia minor calamity;

(6) That the honor of the army and nation was sacrificed in the Asia Minor for the sake of an ignominious crown;

(7) that the same dynasty through the present King engineered the recent fratricidal movement endangering the nation simply to strengthen its tottering throne.  Seeing that the maintenance of the Glucksburg dynasty is a national stigma which should be blotted out, the officers of the army and navy have unanimously decided that the forfeiture of the crown by this dynasty is a national necessity."

The King is not abdicating, but it is believed that "he will never return to Greece.  The Assembly is refusing to "establish a republic," and it is believed that "a new King will be elected."