Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, the son of Italy’s last king, Umberto II, passed away on Saturday morning at the age of 86. The House of Savoy announced his peaceful death in Geneva at 7:05 a.m. on 3rd February 2024, surrounded by his family.
Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy was the son of the last king of Italy, Umberto II. His death, at 07.05am in Geneva on 3rd February, was announced by The House of Savoy.
The funeral details will be disclosed soon. Vittorio Emanuele, Duke of Savoy and Prince of Naples, would have celebrated his 87th birthday on February 12.
The House of Savoy, which ruled Italy until the institution of the republic in 1946, faced criticism for supporting Mussolini and fleeing Rome during World War II. Italy’s post-war constitution initially barred male descendants from entering the country, a restriction lifted in 2002. Vittorio Emanuele, along with his son Emanuele Filiberto, returned but faced legal troubles.
He was investigated and later acquitted in the 1978 shooting death of Dirk Hamer in Corsica. Despite the acquittal, Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation stated that Vittorio Emanuele’s exoneration “does not mean that he is exempt from responsibility” in the shooting. The case gained attention through a Netflix series, ‘The Prince’, prompting Emanuele Filiberto to criticize it as spreading fake news.
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto expressed fond memories of Vittorio Emanuele, while Green Party leader Angelo Bonelli noted the former royal’s belated distancing from Italy’s 1938 racial laws. Bonelli recalled that Vittorio Emanuele officially opposed the racial laws in 2002, more than 60 years after their enactment. Additionally, he highlighted Vittorio Emanuele’s alleged association with the P2 Masonic lodge in 1981.
The last king of Italy
Vittorio Emanule was the only son of Umberto II. Born on 15th September 1904, Umberto was the last reigning monarch of Italy. He ascended to the throne on 9th May 1946, following the abdication of his father, King Victor Emmanuel III. His reign, however, was short-lived, as a constitutional referendum held later that year resulted in the establishment of a republic, leading to Umberto II’s exile.
During his brief reign, Umberto II faced challenges, including the aftermath of World War II and Italy’s political instability. The Italian people, dissatisfied with the monarchy, voted for a republic in the referendum. Umberto II left Italy and lived in exile in Portugal for the remainder of his life.
Umberto II spent his post-reign years in a relatively quiet life, engaging in business ventures and occasionally expressing a desire to return to Italy. He married Princess Marie José of Belgium, and they had four children together.
Umberto II passed away on March 18, 1983, in Geneva, Switzerland, without ever returning to Italy.
