Line of succession to the Italian Throne
Encyclopedia
The Italian monarchy was abolished in June 1946 following a referendum
which established a republic.
The present pretender
is in dispute between Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples
and Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta
.
and his cousin and dynastic rival Prince Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta
. At a soirée held at the Zarzuela Palace during the wedding celebrations of Spanish Crown Prince Felipe
, Amedeo approached Vittorio who reportedly punched him twice in the face, causing him to stumble backward down the steps. The quick intervention of ex-Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
, who propped him up, prevented Amedeo from falling to the ground. She discreetly assisted him indoors while staunching his bleeding face until first aid
was administered. Upon learning of the incident Spain's King Juan Carlos, a cousin of both men, reportedly declared that "never again" would an opportunity to abuse his hospitality be afforded the competing pretender
s. Anne-Marie's quick action avoided what might have been more serious injury to Amedeo and a public escalation of the confrontation.
In response to the Duke of Aosta's attempt in 2006 to assume the headship of the house, and his, and his sons assumption of the name "di Savoia" and the arms of the Royal House of Savoy and that of the Prince of Piedmont, the Prince of Naples and his son filed a lawsuit against the Aosta branch. The lawsuit was successful with the court of Arezzo ruling in February 2010 that the Duke of Aosta and his son must pay damages totalling 50,000 Euros to their cousins and cease their use of the arms of the Royal House and those of the Prince of Piedmont. They were also forbidden to use the name "di Savoia", instead they must resume the name "di Savoia-Aosta". The Duke of Aosta is appealing the ruling.
and was regarded as the head of the House of Savoy
unopposed until the 7 July 2006 when the Duke of Aosta declared himself to be the head of the house and Duke of Savoy. The line of succession to Vittorio Emanuele is:
. The line of succession to Amedeo, Duke of Aosta is:
Birth of the Italian Republic
The Italian constitutional referendum which officially took place on 2 June 1946, is a key event of Italian contemporary history. Until 1946, Italy was a kingdom ruled by the House of Savoy, kings of Italy since the Risorgimento and previously rulers of Savoy...
which established a republic.
The present pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
is in dispute between Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples
Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples
Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, formerly Crown Prince of Italy is the only son of the Umberto II, the last King of Italy. He is commonly known in Italy as Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia...
and Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta
Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta
Prince Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta, Duke of Aosta, is a claimant to the headship of the House of Savoy, the family which ruled Italy from 1861 to 1946, as well as the heir to the short-lived Kingdom of Croatia during World War II...
.
Clashes
On 21 May 2004 blows were struck in Madrid between former Crown Prince Vittorio Emanuele of ItalyVittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples
Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, formerly Crown Prince of Italy is the only son of the Umberto II, the last King of Italy. He is commonly known in Italy as Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia...
and his cousin and dynastic rival Prince Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta
Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta
Prince Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta, Duke of Aosta, is a claimant to the headship of the House of Savoy, the family which ruled Italy from 1861 to 1946, as well as the heir to the short-lived Kingdom of Croatia during World War II...
. At a soirée held at the Zarzuela Palace during the wedding celebrations of Spanish Crown Prince Felipe
Felipe, Prince of Asturias
Felipe, Prince of Asturias de Borbón y de Grecia; born 30 January 1968), is the third child and only son of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain....
, Amedeo approached Vittorio who reportedly punched him twice in the face, causing him to stumble backward down the steps. The quick intervention of ex-Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
Queen Anne-Marie of Greece is the wife of former King Constantine II of Greece, who was deposed in referendums in 1973 and in 1974. Her title "Queen of Greece" is not recognized under the terms of the republican Constitution of Greece...
, who propped him up, prevented Amedeo from falling to the ground. She discreetly assisted him indoors while staunching his bleeding face until first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
was administered. Upon learning of the incident Spain's King Juan Carlos, a cousin of both men, reportedly declared that "never again" would an opportunity to abuse his hospitality be afforded the competing pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
s. Anne-Marie's quick action avoided what might have been more serious injury to Amedeo and a public escalation of the confrontation.
In response to the Duke of Aosta's attempt in 2006 to assume the headship of the house, and his, and his sons assumption of the name "di Savoia" and the arms of the Royal House of Savoy and that of the Prince of Piedmont, the Prince of Naples and his son filed a lawsuit against the Aosta branch. The lawsuit was successful with the court of Arezzo ruling in February 2010 that the Duke of Aosta and his son must pay damages totalling 50,000 Euros to their cousins and cease their use of the arms of the Royal House and those of the Prince of Piedmont. They were also forbidden to use the name "di Savoia", instead they must resume the name "di Savoia-Aosta". The Duke of Aosta is appealing the ruling.
The Prince of Naples
Vittorio Emanuele is the son of the last King Umberto IIUmberto II of Italy
Umberto II, occasionally anglicized as Humbert II was the last King of Italy for slightly over a month, from 9 May 1946 to 12 June 1946. He was nicknamed the King of May -Biography:...
and was regarded as the head of the House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
unopposed until the 7 July 2006 when the Duke of Aosta declared himself to be the head of the house and Duke of Savoy. The line of succession to Vittorio Emanuele is:
- HRH The Prince of Venice and PiedmontEmanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice and PiedmontEmanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice and Piedmont is a member of the House of Savoy and the only child and heir of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples. He is the grandson of Umberto II, last King of Italy...
(born 1972) - HRH The Duke of Aosta (born 1943)
- HRH The Duke of Apulia (born 1967)
- HRH Prince Umberto of Savoy-AostaPrince Umberto of SavoyPrince Umberto of Savoy-Aosta is the elder male-line grandson of Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta, and is in the line of succession to the disputed headship of the House of Savoy, which occupied the Italian throne until 1946, presumptive heir of both his paternal grandfather and father and also his...
(born 2009) - HRH Prince Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta (born 2011)
The Duke of Aosta
The Duke of Aosta claims that because Vittorio Emanuele married in violation of Savoy dynastic law he lost his dynastic rights. The President of the Council of the Senators of the Kingdom Aldo Alessandro Mola published a declaration in favour of Amedeo's claim; and he also received the support of Vittorio Emanuele's sister Princess Maria Gabriella of SavoyPrincess Maria Gabriella of Savoy
Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy is a Savoyard princess and noted historian of Italy...
. The line of succession to Amedeo, Duke of Aosta is:
- HRH The Duke of Apulia (born 1967)
- HRH The Prince of PiedmontPrince Umberto of SavoyPrince Umberto of Savoy-Aosta is the elder male-line grandson of Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta, and is in the line of succession to the disputed headship of the House of Savoy, which occupied the Italian throne until 1946, presumptive heir of both his paternal grandfather and father and also his...
(born 2009) - HRH The Duke of Abruzzi (born 2011)
Line of succession in June 1946
- KingKing of ItalyKing of Italy is a title adopted by many rulers of the Italian peninsula after the fall of the Roman Empire...
Umberto IIUmberto II of ItalyUmberto II, occasionally anglicized as Humbert II was the last King of Italy for slightly over a month, from 9 May 1946 to 12 June 1946. He was nicknamed the King of May -Biography:...
- Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of NaplesVittorio Emanuele, Prince of NaplesVittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, formerly Crown Prince of Italy is the only son of the Umberto II, the last King of Italy. He is commonly known in Italy as Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia...
- Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta
- Prince Amedeo, Duke of Apulia
- Prince Vittorio Emanuele, Count of Turin
- Prince Ferdinando, Duke of Genoa
- Prince Philibert, Duke of Pistoia
- Prince Adalbert, Duke of Bergamo
- Prince Eugenio, Duke of AnconaEugenio, 5th Duke of GenoaEugenio of Savoy-Genoa was a Prince of Savoy-Genoa, Duke of Ancona from birth, and fifth and final Duke of Genoa...