King Umberto II (1904-1983) and Queen Marie-José (1906-2001)

[Blog Real]

Photo of King Umberto II.
He reigned only 34 days between May 9 and June 12, 1946.

 

[princeofitaly]

Wonderful photo of King Umberto.


Here a vintage article about Queen Maria José - the year is 1964:


https://i.imgur.com/63uJzME.jpg

 

[princeofitaly]

Article from magazine Gente about Queen Maria José and her son Vittorio Emanuele:

https://i.imgur.com/VIm2HK5.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/i6SeICA.jpg

 

[princeofitaly]

Crown Prince Umberto in his favourite car (Bianchi) with his sister Princess Mafalda in Castel Porziano:


https://i.imgur.com/woL0HaI.jpg

 

[princeofitaly]

The extraordinary life of the beautiful, and radical, last Queen of Italy (with also beautiful photos):

https://www.tatler.com/article/last-queen-of-italy-marie-jose

 

[princeofitaly]

Prince Vittorio Emanuele remembers his mother, Queen Maria Josè of Italy, 20 years after her death:

https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/poli...-italiana-vedo-sorriso-mia-madre-1912723.html

 

[Blog Real]

As today, May 9, but from 1946, Umberto II became king of Italy after the abdication of his father, Victor Manuel III. He did so in political circumstances so adverse that, at 33 days, he had to leave the throne and go into exile. For the story he became 'the King of May' and the last monarch of his country.

https://www.vanitatis.elconfidencia...21-05-09/humberto-ii-rey-juan-carlos_3069263/

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Who was the individual who gave King Umberto II the title of "the King of May"?

 

[princeofitaly]

People in Italy surname Umberto II the King of May because he reigned only one month, the month of May. Also Queen Maria José is named the Queen of May.

 

[princeofitaly]

Article about King Umberto II:

https://www.quotidianodellumbria.it...una-volta-un-re-di-maggio-ma-non-è-una-favola

 

[maria-olivia]

Princess Marie José announced her engagement in a letter she send to her parents !
I wonder if they were happy ?
The Wedding Celebrations took 10 days wich made King Albert angry and Queen Elisabert was ill !

 

[Mbruno]

Princess Marie José announced her engagement in a letter she send to her parents !
I wonder if they were happy ?
The Wedding Celebrations took 10 days wich made King Albert angry and Queen Elisabert was ill !

I doubt Princess Marie José could have married without the King's consent so they must have approved it.


The House of Savoy was one of the oldest and most distinguished royal houses of Europe and Italy is one of the largest European countries in population. So, at first sight, a marriage to the Crown Prince of Italy would be a plus for a Princess of Belgium.



Unfortunately, King Vittorio Emanuele III disgraced his and his family's reputation by putting up with a dreadful fascist dictator whom he could have removed from power several times, especially in the 1920s before Mussolini's power grab. Maybe that was a factor in Marie José's parents not being ecstatic about the marriage? Ultimately, at a personal level, it didn't end up being a happy marriage either, so I feel sorry for Queen Marie José.

 

[maria-olivia]

The arrangement was done since they were born .. but Adult Umberto waited a lot before asking our Princess to be his wife...

 

[MAfan]

Indeed, their marriage was arranged many and many years before it actually took place. IIRC the plans for a marriage to Umberto was one of the reasons (if not the main reason) why Maria José was sent to study in Italy during World War I.

 

[maria-olivia]

We had Years ago an exhibition with Queen Marie José Glitteriing Clothes.
I saw the letter of the Princess annoncing endly her engagement.

King Umbero did the sketch for most ot her evening dresses.

The day of her Wedding the Princess broke her sleeves which were to narrow. She is seen on her Wedding Day without sleeves and her Veil covering her Shoulders !

Her Veil : as tey had no time to do it they took two pieces of lace and gahered them!

 

[princeofitaly]

The arrangement was done since they were born .. but Adult Umberto waited a lot before asking our Princess to be his wife...

Yes.

Gossip of the time says that Umberto was in love with the Italian singer Milly.

 

[JR76]

Yes.

Gossip of the time says that Umberto was in love with the Italian singer Milly.

Other rumours say that Prince Umberto took a very close interest in the gentlemen of the court.

 

[Blog Real]

The instagram page "Gruppo Savoia" released a photo and text about Queen Marie-José on the 4th of August, the Queen's birthday.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSIOUQfj-mC/

 

[princeofitaly]

Thanks!
Queen Maria José was a great woman and great princess-queen!

 

[Blog Real]

A documentary about King Umberto II. Includes an interview with Queen Maria José.

 

[princeofitaly]

Very good documentary!
Maria José was a very great woman.

 

[maria-olivia]

As she was engaged to Umberto since her birth !! she went during WW1 in an italian catholic School , so she spoke italian fluently.

 

[princeofitaly]

Yes she spoke italian.
I know she spoke italian, french and english and a little swedish. I don't know if she spoke spanish.
I read she know german, but she had made a promise never to speak it again.

 

[Blog Real]

Interview with King Umberto II

 

[princeofitaly]

I love these videos!

 

[princeofitaly]

On Wednesday 15 September at 5 pm in the Councilors room of the Metropolitan City of Turin at Palazzo Cisterna (via Maria Vittoria 12), the "Pannunzio" Center and the "Regina Elena" Association will remember, 20 years after her death, the last Queen of 'Italy Maria José of Savoy.

On the occasion, a video - interview conducted by Enzo Biagi will be screened and the historian Pier Franco Quaglieni will remember Maria José whom he met in person.

https://iltorinese.it/2021/09/12/in-memoria-dellultima-regina-ditalia-maria-jose/

 

[Blog Real]

King Umberto II and Queen Marie-Jose of Italy at Sardinian horse race (1929)

King Umberto II in his office:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.c...3/s16000/4fbd8f5c5becdbfd3ddd714fb5d9a035.jpg

Funeral of King Umberto II of Italy:

 

[Blog Real]

King Umberto II during his state visit to Chile:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Los_Sports,_número_77,_29_de_agosto_de_1924.jpg

 

[Blog Real]

King Umberto II of Italy (second left) with his sister Giovanna, Tsarina of Bulgaria (second right) and the Count and Countess of Barcelona, parents of King Juan Carlos I of Spain, Estoril, Portugal, 1972.

https://c10.quickcachr.fotos.sapo.pt/i/G24180104/22596810_bUa7O.jpeg