Eastern Europe's Former Monarchs Keep Busy

A T H E N S, Greece, June 22 -- Of all the once-crowned heads of pre-communist Eastern Europe, only one has made a spectacular comeback in his native country's politics: ex-King Simeon II of Bulgaria.

This week, Simeon helped his political party take 43 percent of the popular vote there and win control of 120 seats in the parliament in Sofia — just one short of an absolute majority.

The 64-year-old ex-monarch — deposed from the throne by a Soviet-backed communist regime in 1946, when he was just 9 — has promised to lead Bulgarians up from poverty to a more dignified life in 800 days.

It's unclear whether Simeon will return to kingship, run for president, become prime minister, or simply lead his country to NATO and European membership — but he has certainly been more successful than other former Balkan monarchs in returning to power.

Fighting for His Royal Rights

Take Greece's ex-King Constantine II, for example.

Constantine, who fled his country in 1968 after a military junta seized power, has since been living in London on his family's remaining wealth and hob-nobbing with British royalty, glitzy pop stars and socialites.

Like Simeon, he is related to Queen Elizabeth II.

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Even though the military junta fell in summer of 1974, Greek voters chose to declare a republic and abolish the monarchy in a popular referendum.

All Greek governments, including the present socialist one of Prime Minister Costas Simitis, have refused to restore Constantine's confiscated property.

In the face of refusals Constantine sued in the European Court in Strasbourg, France, which awarded him an estimated half a billion dollars in compensation.

But the Simitis government has fought back legally. It is refusing to let him return to live in Greece unless he formally renounces the throne.

However, the government acknowledges that as a former Olympic yachting champion, Constantine will have the right to attend the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

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