An Italian court has rejected a bid by the descendants of Italy’s last king to reclaim the country’s crown jewels. The jewels, valued at €300m (£253m), will remain in the custody of the state, the Rome civil court ruled on Thursday.
The decision marks another setback for the Savoy family in their long-standing attempt to regain what they claim is their rightful property.
The jewels, consisting of over 6,000 diamonds and 2,000 pearls mounted on tiaras, brooches, and necklaces, have been locked in a safety deposit box at the Bank of Italy since 5 June 1946. That year, Italians voted to abolish the monarchy in a referendum, sending King Umberto II into exile after just 34 days on the throne.
Umberto II had asked Falcone Lucifero, the then minister of the royal house, to take the jewels to Luigi Einaudi, then governor of the Bank of Italy, for safekeeping. Einuadi later became president.
“As a citizen, I now hope the state will soon put these historic jewels on display in a museum,” said Olina Capolino, lawyer for the Bank of Italy.
The Savoy family launched the lawsuit in February 2022 after failing to reach an agreement with the Bank of Italy to recover the jewels. They argued that the crown jewels were the only assets not confiscated by the state after the monarchy was abolished. The court, however, dismissed the claim as “manifestly unfounded.”
“This ruling is deeply disappointing, but we will continue our fight for justice,” said Sergio Orlandi, lawyer for the Savoy heirs. The family plans to appeal the decision to the European Court of Human Rights, demanding compensation for all assets confiscated after the abolition of the monarchy.
King Umberto II – last king of Italy
King Umberto II, born in 1904, was the only son of King Victor Emmanuel III. He assumed the throne in May 1946 after his father abdicated, hoping his departure would sway the public to vote in favour of the monarchy.
The attempt failed, and Umberto II fled to Portugal, where he spent the remainder of his life in exile. He was Italy’s last king, and his brief reign earned him the moniker “Re di Maggio,” or “May King.” He died in 1983, never setting foot in Italy again.
In 2024, his son Vittorio Emmanuele died in Geneva.
