 Re: understanding the use of similar meaning words
1 the then king of England = the king of England at the time being discussed
2 the former king of England = the king of England at some previous time
3 the ex-king of England - still alive, but not king any more
1 & 2 are very close in meaning, and are often interchangeable; ex means 'used to be ... but is definitely not any more': "My ex-wife has custody of the children in term-time, and I have them during the holidays". Ex is so often prepended to 'wife' or 'husband' or 'lover' that it has become a noun on its own (a sort of 'pro-lover'!): 'I rarely see my ex nowadays'.
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