The prince was regularly discredited.
Sad news for the centuries-old noble family Di Savoia. This weekend, the Duke of Naples and Prince of Savoy, Vittorio Emanuele, passed away at the age of 86. As the only son of the last king of Italy with a notorious reputation and a number of outspoken descendants, this causes quite a stir.
Death and funeral
Via their official website, the Real Casa di Savoia announced in a short message last weekend that the head of the family, Prince Vittorio Emanuele, has passed away at the age of 86.
“At 7:05 a.m. this morning, February 3, 2024, His Royal Highness Victor Emmanuel, Duke of Savoy and Prince of Naples, surrounded by his family, passed away peacefully in Geneva,” the statement said. It was also reported that more information about the funeral would follow, and the next day an announcement was immediately made about the events surrounding his funeral.
We now know that the funeral will take place on February 10 in the cathedral of Turin. Only invited guests are allowed to attend, and the funeral itself will take place afterwards ‘in strict private circles’ in the Royal Crypt of the Basilica of Superga. Yet the Di Savoias also want to give the people the opportunity to say goodbye to the prince, and that is why anyone who wants to do so can show their respect for the deceased prince the day before.
Controversial
Over the years, the late Prince Vittorio Emanuele became increasingly discredited. For example, in 1969 he unilaterally declared himself the new king of Italy, was charged with corruption, and argued extensively with the Italian state over reparations.
He may or may not have been involved in the death of a German young man in 1978. He was acquitted by the French court after a trial lasting thirteen (!) years, but years later the story took a special twist. For example, after an arrest in 2006, Vittorio was captured on video stating: “I was wrong, (…) but I must say that I outsmarted them (the French judges, ed.).”
This naturally led to a major political row, with none other than Beatrice Borromeo, Princess Caroline’s daughter-in-law, playing a central role in revealing the truth. Last year, her three-part documentary about the case, The King Who Never Was, was released by Netflix.
Successors
In the announcement about the funeral, it is immediately noticeable that son Emanuele Filiberto thanks everyone for their support as the brand new Duke of Naples and Prince of Savoy. Last summer he was in the public eye when he announced that he was renouncing his place in the line of succession. According to him, his then nineteen-year-old daughter, Vittoria di Savoia, could have done things much better.
“That won’t happen tomorrow or in a year, but when she is ready. It is important that the younger generation has the opportunity to apply new, modern ideas in practice,” Emanuele said about his decision. However, formally nothing has changed yet, and so Filiberto Emanuele is now the head of the House of Savoy.
Of course, there has been no real throne in Italy for years since the country abolished the monarchy in 1946. Although Filiberto and Vittoria regularly loudly proclaim that they would like to see the return of an Italian kingdom, the Italian people have little idea of this for the time being. A 2018 survey found that only 15% were really into the idea. Well. Fortunately, Vittoria still has her career as a model and influencer…
Source: NU.nl, Glamial archive | Image: NL Image
