Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples

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Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, Prince of NaplesTemplate:Refn (Vittorio Emanuele Alberto Carlo Teodoro Umberto Bonifacio Amedeo Damiano Bernardino Gennaro Maria di Savoia;<ref name="ghda">Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser XIV. "Haus Italien". C.A. Starke Verlag, 1997, pp. 33, 38–39. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref name=willis>Willis, Daniel, The Descendants of Louis XIII, Clearfield Co., Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, 1999, p. 673. Template:ISBN.</ref> 12 February 1937 – 3 February 2024), was the only son of Umberto II, the last King of Italy, and Marie-José of Belgium. Vittorio Emanuele also used the title Duke of Savoy and claimed the headship of the House of Savoy. These claims were disputed by supporters of his third cousin, Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, and later by Amedeo's son, Aimone.

Vittorio Emanuele lived for most of his life in exile, following the 1946 Italian constitutional referendum, which affirmed the abolition of the monarchy and the creation of the Italian Republic. On several occasions, he was the centre of controversy in Italy and abroad due to a series of incidents, including remarks that were seen by some as antisemitic. He was revealed to be a member of Propaganda Due (P2), the state within a state responsible for high-level corruption and political manipulation.<ref name="Hooper 2006">Template:Cite news</ref> In France, he was tried on a murder charge, of which he was cleared of unlawful killing but convicted of a firearms offence. Vittorio Emanuele was arrested in 2006 on charges of criminal association, racketeering, conspiracy, corruption, and exploitation of prostitution.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was acquitted of all charges in 2007 and 2010.<ref name=affaritaliani>Savoiagate, Vittorio Emanuele assolto Template:Webarchive. Affaritaliani.it. Retrieved on 26 July 2015.</ref><ref>"Videopoker, assolto Vittorio Emanuele" Template:Webarchive. Corriere della Sera. 22 September 2010.</ref>

Early life and family

Vittorio Emanuele was born on 12 February 1937 in Naples to Umberto, Prince of Piedmont, who would later become the last King of Italy as Umberto II, and Princess Marie-José of Belgium.<ref name="ghda"/><ref name=willis/> The Italian royal family was exiled from Italy when he was nine years old. He lived in Switzerland from the time he was exiled until his death.<ref>Zampano, Giada Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, son of Italy's last king, dies aged 86, The Washington Post via the AP</ref> Vittorio Emanuele had three sisters, an older sister Princess Maria Pia and two younger sisters, Princess Maria Gabriella and Princess Maria Beatrice. Princess Maria Pia married Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia in 1955, the son of Prince Paul of Yugoslavia and Princess Olga of Greece and Denmark. In 2003, she remarried Prince Michel of Bourbon-Parma, son of Prince René of Bourbon-Parma and Princess Margaret of Denmark and the younger brother of Queen Anne of Romania. Vittorio Emanuele was also a first cousin of the late King Baudouin of Belgium, former King Albert II of Belgium, the late Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg, Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse, and Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria.

After an eleven-year relationship, Vittorio Emanuele married Swiss biscuit heiress and world-ranked water skier Marina Doria in Tehran, Iran, on 7 October 1971.<ref name="ghda"/> Their wedding was announced on the occasion of the 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire.<ref>Guido Tonella (22 June 1972) È nato a Ginevra l'erede dei Savoia (in Italian). Il Tempo.</ref> Coincidentally, Vittorio Emanuele and his wife Marina share a birthday (12 February) but Vittorio Emanuele is two years younger than Marina (she was born in 1935).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Vittorio Emanuele worked as a banker and an aircraft salesman, and then an arms dealer.<ref name="Popham2">Template:Cite news</ref>

Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, has a son, Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, Prince of Venice, born on 22 June 1972. Emanuele Filiberto married Clotilde Courau in 2003, and they have two daughters together.

Duke of Savoy

On 7 July 2006, Vittorio Emanuele's kinsman and dynastic rival, Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta declared himself to be the head of the House of Savoy and Duke of Savoy, claiming that Vittorio Emanuele had lost his dynastic rights when he married without the permission of Umberto II in 1971. Amedeo received the support of the President of the Council of Senators of the Kingdom Aldo Alessandro Mola and Vittorio Emanuele's sister, Maria Gabriella.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Vittorio Emanuele and his son applied for a judicial injunction to forbid Amedeo from using the title "Duke of Savoy". In February 2010, the court of Arezzo<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> ruled that the Duke of Aosta and his son must pay damages totalling €50,000 to their cousins and cease using the surname Savoy instead of Savoy-Aosta.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, the verdict was overturned on appeal, with the court of second resort allowing Amedeo the use of the short surname, in the form of di Savoia, and additionally revoking the financial penalty originally imposed on him.<ref>Amedeo d'Aosta: ho vinto io la guerra del cognome con Vittorio Emanuele. La Nazione (in Italian). Published January 19, 2018.</ref>

Exile from and return to Italy

Reasons for exile

File:Amedeo di Savoia Aosta e Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia.jpg

Vittorio Emanuele and Amadeo (Duke of Aosta) together in 1964, before their falling out.

In line with certain other countries that were formerly monarchies (such as France or Romania), the Italian Constitution required all male members of the House of Savoy to leave Italy and barred them from ever returning to Italian soil again. This was enacted as a "temporary disposition" enacted when the constitution was promulgated in 1948. The constitution also forbade any amendment that would change the republican form of government, effectively foreclosing any effort to restore the monarchy short of adopting a new constitution.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Requests for return

Vittorio Emanuele lobbied the Parliament of Italy over the years in which the law prohibiting his return was in force, to be allowed to return to his homeland after 56 years in exile. In 1999, he filed a case at the European Court of Human Rights, in which the Prince charged that his lengthy exile violated his human rights. In September 2001, the court decided to hold a hearing on the case at a date to be fixed later.<ref>Template:Cite court</ref>

Before his return to his homeland, he renounced any claim to Italy's crown jewels, which were stored in a deposit box at the Bank of Italy. He publicly stated that the crown jewels "are no longer ours", referring to the House of Savoy. At the time, he hoped that the crown jewels would be publicly displayed. However, the royal family asked for the jewels back in 2021 and sued the Italian government and the Bank of Italy in 2022 when they were not returned.<ref>Giuffrida, Angela Descendants of Italy's last king attempt to reclaim crown jewels, The Guardian</ref><ref>Legorano, Giovanni The Surprising Mystery of Italy's Crown Jewels Is Who Gets to Keep Them, The Wall Street Journal</ref>

In February 2002, Vittorio Emanuele and his son Emanuele Filiberto wrote a signed letter, published through a law firm, in which they formally expressed their loyalty to the Constitution of Italy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Return to Italy

File:Stefano D'Amico Conte di Torregiliata.jpg

Investiture of a knight (2009)

On 23 October 2002, the provision in the constitution that barred male members of the former royal house from returning to Italy was repealed. As part of a deal with the government, Vittorio Emanuele signed an agreement renouncing all claims to the defunct throne and recognizing the Republic as the only lawful government of Italy. Vittorio Emanuele was permitted to re-enter the country on 10 November 2002. On 23 December 2002, he made his first trip home in over half a century. On the one-day visit he, his wife, and his son had a 20-minute audience with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Upon their first visit in 2003 to Naples, where Vittorio Emanuele was born, and from where his family sailed into exile in 1946, the reception of the Savoys was mixed; most people were indifferent to them, some hostile, a few supportive. The media reported that many in Naples were not happy to see the return of the family when hundreds of noisy demonstrators chanted negative slogans as they progressed through the city.<ref name="Popham2" /> Demonstrations were staged by two traditionally opposing factions: anti-monarchists on one hand, and supporters of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the royal house deposed when Italy was united in 1861 under the House of Savoy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Death

Vittorio Emanuele died in Geneva Cantonal Hospital, Switzerland on 3 February 2024, aged 86.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A statement from the Royal House of Savoy gave the time of his death as 07:05 (CET).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

His funeral was held on 10 February 2024 in the Turin Cathedral and, afterwards, he was cremated.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Attendees at his funeral included his widow Marina, Princess of Naples, his son Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice, his daughter-in-law Princess Clotilde, Princess of Venice, his granddaughter Princess Vittoria, Princess of Carignano, his sister Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Parma, his nephew Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta, and Princess Olga, Duchess of Aosta, Prince Jean of Luxembourg, the Prince of Monaco, Queen Sofía of Spain, Leka, Prince of Albania, Boris, Prince of Turnovo, Fuad II of Egypt, Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark, Afonso, Prince of Beira, Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, John T. Dunlap, and Daniel McVicar.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The ashes were subsequently buried in the Royal Crypt of the Basilica di Superga.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Controversies

Unilateral declaration of kingship (1969)

Vittorio Emanuele unilaterally declared himself King of Italy on 15 December 1969.<ref>Royal Decree No. 1. realcasadisavoia.it</ref><ref>Pro Veritate analysis n.1 by Prof. Edoardo Adami. realcasadisavoia.it</ref> He argued that by agreeing to submit to a referendum on his place as head of state, his father had thereby abdicated. Vittorio Emanuele took this action after his father allegedly called for Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta to visit him in Portugal to name him his heir.<ref>Gigi Speroni, Umberto II, Milan, Riscoli Libri</ref> Under his self-assumed powers as King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele conferred the title of Duchess of Sant'Anna di Valdieri on his then-fiancée, Marina Doria.<ref>Pro Veritate analysis n.2 by Prof. Edoardo Adami. realcasadisavoia.it</ref>

Dirk Hamer's death (1978–2015)

On the night of 17 August or the morning of 18 August 1978, on the island of Cavallo (which lies off the south coast of Corsica), Vittorio Emanuele discovered his yacht's rubber dinghy had been taken and attached to another nearby yacht. Arming himself with a rifle, he attempted to board the vessel. He shot at a passenger he had awakened; the shot missed the passenger but mortally wounded Dirk Hamer (the 19-year-old son of Ryke Geerd Hamer), a passenger sleeping on the deck of another adjacent yacht. The prince admitted civil liability for the death in a letter dated 28 August 1978.<ref name="Hamer">Template:Cite web</ref> Vittorio Emanuele was arrested and Dirk Hamer later died of his wounds on 7 December 1978 before he could provide any evidence.<ref>Beaufort, Georgia As the death of Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy is announced, revisit TatlerTemplate:'s interview with Beatrice Casiraghi about her personal connection to him, and her shocking scoop that rocked European high society, Tatler</ref>

On 11 October 1989, Vittorio Emanuele was indicted on charges of inflicting lethal injury and possession of a dangerous weapon. However, on 18 November 1991, after thirteen years of legal proceedings, the Paris Assize Court acquitted him of the fatal wounding and unintentional homicide charges, finding him guilty only of unauthorised possession of an M1 carbine.<ref name="Hamer"/> He received a six-month suspended prison sentence.<ref>Summary of trial proceedings concerned the killing of Dirk Hamer. sim.law.uu.nl</ref>

When incarcerated in June 2006 on unconnected charges of corruption (see below, Arrest and imprisonment), Vittorio Emanuele was recorded admitting that "I was in the wrong, [...] but I must say I fooled them [the French judges]",<ref name="repubblicaJudges">Template:Cite web</ref> leading to a call from Dirk Hamer's sister Birgit for Vittorio Emanuele to be retried in Italy for killing her brother.<ref>Prince's braggadocio spurs call for justice. galleonpoint.com. 12 September 2006</ref>

Birgit Hamer undertook a long legal fight to obtain the full video. She stated: "What for us is a confession is a boast for him: he laughs about the fact that he killed a boy."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The story of the video was broken by aristocratic journalist Beatrice Borromeo,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> who also wrote the preface for a book on the murder, Template:Lang by Birgit Hamer. Vittorio Emanuele sued the newspaper for defamation, claiming the video had been manipulated. In 2015, a court judgement ruled in favour of the newspaper.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On Twitter Borromeo posted: Template:Lang ("Winning a case is always nice, but against Victor Emmanuel of Savoy the pleasure is double"),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which resulted in a spat on Twitter with his son Emanuele Filiberto.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Allegations of antisemitism (2003)

Vittorio Emanuele also said in 2003 that the antisemitic laws passed under Mussolini's regime were "not that terrible".<ref>"Italy's Jews wait for royal apology" (The Observer (UK), 18 May 2003). "It was a rocky start for what was intended as a romantic trip down memory lane for Italy's exiled royal family, the Savoys, who returned to Rome last week to meet government officials, only to be greeted by angry Italian Jews still waiting for an apology for the royals' antisemitic leanings during the Second World War. Some five years ago, Victor Emmanuel made headlines when he said in an interview that the race laws were 'not so bad'".</ref> In response, the president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, Amos Luzzatto, stated "I'm not saying it was he who signed the racial laws in 1938. But, as a Savoy heir, Victor Emmanuel has never distanced himself from them," in an interview with Template:Lang newspaper.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 27 January 2005, in a letter published by Template:Lang, Vittorio Emanuele issued an apology to Italy's Jewish population, asking forgiveness from the Italian Jewish community, and declaring that it was an error for the Italian Royal Family to have signed the racial laws of 1938.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:AnchorArrest and imprisonment (2006)

On 16 June 2006, Vittorio Emanuele was arrested in Varenna and imprisoned in Potenza on charges of corruption and recruitment of prostitutes for clients of the Casinò di Campione of Campione d'Italia.<ref>Arrest and jail Template:Webarchive. Corriere.it. Retrieved on 26 July 2015.</ref><ref>Arrested Italy prince goes from palace to jail. MSNBC (17 June 2006). Retrieved on 26 July 2015.</ref><ref>The Prince and the prostitutes. Findarticles.com. Retrieved on 26 July 2015.</ref>

The enquiry was conducted by Italian magistrate John Woodcock, of British ancestry, famous for other VIPs' arrests.<ref>VIP arrests by Woodstock Template:Webarchive. Corriere.it. June 2006.</ref><ref>«Mandami su il pacco con la ragazza» – La Stampa Template:Webarchive. Lastampa.it (17 June 2006). Retrieved on 26 July 2015.</ref><ref>Vittorio Emanuele, cimici in cella "Ho fregato i giudici francesi" – cronaca Template:Webarchive. Repubblica.it (9 September 2006). Retrieved on 26 July 2015.</ref>

Woodcock described Emanuele as the "undisputed leader" of an influence-trafficking network associated with Sicilian organized crime.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

After several days, Vittorio Emanuele was released and placed under house arrest. He was released from house arrest on 20 July 2006 but had to stay within the borders of Italy. Vittorio Emanuele was acquitted of all charges in the years 2007 and 2010.<ref name=affaritaliani/>

Template:Lang reported in 2006 that Emanuele Filiberto had distanced himself from his father.<ref>Emanuele Filiberto si dissocia dal padre "Non condivido tutto quello che ha fatto" – cronaca Template:Webarchive. Repubblica.it. Retrieved on 26 July 2015.</ref>

Seeking compensation from Italy (2007)

In 2007, Vittorio Emanuele and his son, Emanuele Filiberto, requested formally that the state pay financial damages of €260 million, and initiate full restitution of all properties and belongings that had been confiscated from the royal house after the abolition of the monarchy. The financial damages claim is based on having suffered moral injustice during the exile. The Italian government has rejected the request and, in response, indicated that it may seek damages for historic grievances.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Succession

In June 2023, his son Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice, announced his intention to renounce his claim to the throne in favour of his daughter, Princess Vittoria of Savoy, when he felt she was ready to succeed. Until he formally does so, he remains as his father's heir.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Honours

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National dynastic honours

Vittorio Emanuele was the Sovereign of the Dynastic Orders of the House of Savoy which consist of:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Flagicon House of Savoy: Sovereign Knight of the Royal Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Flagicon House of Savoy: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Flagicon House of Savoy: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Crown<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Flagicon House of Savoy: Grand Master of the Royal Civil Order of Savoy<ref name="MnCMerit">Royal Website, document about Vittorio Emmanuelle's sovereignty of the Military and civil orders Template:Webarchive</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Flagicon House of Savoy: Grand Master of the Royal Military Order of Savoy<ref name="MnCMerit" />
Template:Flagicon House of Savoy: Grand Master of the Royal Order of Merit of Savoy<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

National honours

Template:Flagicon Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Special Class Template:CN
Template:Flagicon Two Sicilian Royal Family: Bailiff Knight Grand Cross with Collar of Justice of the Two Sicilian Royal Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Foreign honours

Template:Flagicon Kingdom of Greece: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Redeemer Template:Cn
Template:Flag: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles<ref>Nomination by Sovereign Ordonnance n° 15702 of 1 March 2003 Template:Webarchive (French)</ref>
Template:Flagicon Montenegrin Royal Family: Knight of the Order of Petrović Njegoš Template:Cn
Template:Flagicon Montenegrin Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Prince Danilo I Template:Cn
Template:Flagicon Montenegrin Royal Family: Knight of the Order of Saint Peter of Cetinje Template:Cn
Template:Flagicon Empire of Iran: Recipient of the Commemorative Medal of the 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire<ref>Badraie Template:Webarchive. Badraie. Retrieved on 26 July 2015.</ref>

Ancestry

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Patrilineal descent

Template:Chart top Vittorio Emanuele's patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son.

Patrilineal descent is the principle behind membership in royal houses, as it can be traced back through the generations, which means that Vittorio Emanuele is a member of the House of Savoy.