King Vittorio Emanuele III (1869-1947) and Queen Elena neé Montenegro (1873-1952)

[Londena]

I read on Wikipedia Queen Elena wrote a letter to several Queens in 1939 hoping to prevent the second world war. Does anyone know if this is this true and if that letter survives?

 

[Marengo]

I could find nothing in the biography of Queen Wilhelmina about such a letter, neither could I find a reference in the archives of Dutch newspapers about the letter. For some reason I can not find the biography of Q. Elisabeth of Belgium by Edward Radzinsky that must be somewhere but perhaps that book refers to it too?

ETA1:
I did see a reference here, made by 'Alberto' at the former royal books message board:

A Royal Books Message Board:

He lists as source the book "Elena, la Regina Mai Dimenticata" from 1997 by Cristina Siccardi. I suppose the letter may be printed in that book.

Apparently Siccardi lists the 'queens' as those of Bulgaria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Denmark and Luxembourg.
Norway, Greece, Romania and Sweden did not have a queen or a queen-mother at the time.

The book says that Mussolini disavowed her publicly the next day. I would say that this would be reported in the press, so some newspaper archives may have an article.

ETA2:
I could not find anything of Mussolini & Q. Helena in the Dutch newspapers of 1939 other than that her husband and she were living as a prisoner in their palace due to Mussolini. Quite an interesting observation [in 1939!] since the king still lost his throne partly due to his association with Mussolini.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

King Vittorio Emanuel III attended an annexation ceremony in 1924.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0R5OHMqdTc

 

[princeofitaly]

A convention in Italy about Queen Elena:


Italia e Montenegro più vicine grazie alla Regina Elena di Savoia


Dieci anni di indipendenza Montenegro ricordata figura Regina Elena

 

[Cory]

The remains of King Vittorio Emanuele III and of Queen Elena will finally be brought to Italy at Vicoforte:

http://torino.repubblica.it/cronaca...alma_della_regina_elena-184243489/?ref=fbplto

 

[CyrilVladisla]

King Vittorio Emanuele III and Queen Elena paid tribute to Pope Pius XI.

 

[MAfan]

The remains of King Vittorio Emanuele III and of Queen Elena will finally be brought to Italy at Vicoforte:

Da Montpellier a Mondovì, torna in Italia in gran segreto la salma della regina Elena - Repubblica.it

Actually only the remains of Queen Elena have been transferred from Montpellier to Vicoforte, apparently today and without any publicity; Princess Maria Gabriella has announced it tonight to AFP.
It isn't known if and when King Vittorio Emanuele III's remains will be moved back to Italy.

Here is another article:
Le spoglie della regina Elena di Savoia traslate nel Santuario di Vicoforte - La Stampa
It adds that it isn't excluded that in the next weeks also the King's remains will be transferred.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Where are they to be reburied?

 

[Cory]

Actually only the remains of Queen Elena have been transferred from Montpellier to Vicoforte, apparently today and without any publicity; Princess Maria Gabriella has announced it tonight to AFP.
It isn't known if and when King Vittorio Emanuele III's remains will be moved back to Italy.

Here is another article:
Le spoglie della regina Elena di Savoia traslate nel Santuario di Vicoforte - La Stampa
It adds that it isn't excluded that in the next weeks also the King's remains will be transferred.

King Vittorio Emanuele will be probably brought too in Italy in the future.

 

[MAfan]

Where are they to be reburied?

They are to be reburied at the Santuario di Vicoforte, near Cuneo, in Piedmont.
The sanctuary was built by order of Duke Carlo Emanuele I of Savoy, who meant it to be a burial place for the House of Savoy and who was buried there.
The sanctuary is mainly known for its elliptical cupola, which is the largest in the world.

Here is the website of the Sanctuary:
Santuario di Vicoforte - Il complesso del Santuario ?Regina Montis Regalis?

 

[MAfan]

Apparently the move of the remains of Queen Elena has been organized by Princess Maria Gabriella alone, while the other descendants of the Queen wasn't aware of it.
Prince Serge of Yugoslavia has stated to Corriere della Sera that neither he, his mother Princess Maria Pia of Savoy, his uncle Vittorio Emanuele and his cousin Emanuele Filiberto knew of the plan to move Queen Elena's remains to Vicoforte; he adds that they all do not agree with it, since they believe that the remains of all the Kings and Queens of Italy should be buried in Rome at the Pantheon, where also King Vittorio Emanuele II, King Umberto I and Queen Margherita are buried.

Casa Savoia, la salma della regina Elena riportata in Italia a Mondovì - Corriere.it

 

[Cory]

Finally the Queen is buried in Italy in a Sanctuary built by the Savoy Dynasty. Until now this was not possible. This is a great news and certain reactions could be quite surprising.

The King will be buried in Vicoforte too:

http://torino.repubblica.it/cronaca...e_d_italia_vittorio_emanuele_terzo-184293798/

 

[MAfan]

The Sanctuary of Vicoforte has issued a press release, confirming that King Vittorio Emanuele III's remains will be moved there as well, thouhg it isn't known exactly when it will happen.
The remains of King Vittorio Emanuele III and Queen Elena will be placed in two adjoining niches in the Chapel of San Bernardo, where also Duke Carlo Emanuele I is buried.
http://www.santuariodivicoforte.it/backoffice/img/fck/Comunicato stampa.jpg

 

[Cory]

It seems that not all the descendants of the Royal couple are happy about the reburial at Vicoforte. Some wanted only Pantheon in Rome.

 

[princeofitaly]

Finally after 65 years the Queen is buried in Italy!

I think the Sanctuary of Vicoforte is one of the most beautiful Sanctuary of all Italy, a very spectacular place. I love Pantheon in Rome, but I think Sanctuary of Vicoforte is more beautiful.
I hope in the future also Queen Maria José and King Umberto will be buried it.

I read that some wanted only Pantheon in Rome for the burials of Savoy's Kings and Queens. I disagree, because all italian burial place are a great place for Kings and Queens (Superga, Vicoforte, Sacra di San Michele, etc.).
I hope Queen Elena remains in Vicoforte. I want to see her tomb and dedicate a prayer to her in Vicoforte.

 

[Cory]

The remains of the King left Egypt and will find final rest at Vicoforte too:

La salma di Vittorio Emanuele III è in Italia, al santuario di Vicoforte: riposerà accanto alla moglie

Tumulata vicino a quella della regina Elena. Le Comunità ebraiche: "Profonda inquietudine". Polemica anche sull'impiego di un velivolo mil…

torino.repubblica.it

 

[MAfan]

Vittorio Emanuele, Marina and Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Parma and Prince Serge of Yugoslavia tomorrow will be present at Vicoforte, to pay hommage to the graves of King Vittorio Emanuele III and Queen Elena.
In their press release the graves are referred ot as "temporary burials".

https://twitter.com/x/status/942411249765281792

 

[Cory]

Probably they still hope to rebury again the remains of the Royal couple at the Pantheon but I really doubt the Italian authorities will agree with that.

 

[MAfan]

I agree, most likely their burial at the Pantheon won't be allowed.

Here is an article with a few pictures of the new graves:
Vittorio Emanuele III tumulato a Vicoforte. Il monarca riposerà accanto alla regina Elena - La Stampa

 

[Cory]

There are already debates and Pantheon would certainly not be accepted by the authorities and by the public.

Some critics are against the use of a military plane for the remains of the King:

http://www.corriere.it/cronache/17_...ra-dfec57aa-e364-11e7-b314-d3981516e8be.shtml

 

[An Ard Ri]

The remains of King Vittorio Emanuele and Queen Elena's reburial at the Basilica of Vicoforte in Italy.

PPE Agency

 

[eya]

Vittorio Emanuele his son Emanuele Filiberto, his wife Marina Doria and Prince Sergio Of Yugoslavia take part in a private ceremony to pay tribute to Vittorio Emanuele Iand his wife Queen Elena of Montenegro on December 18, 2017 at the Santuario Regina Montis Regalis in Vicoforte, northern Italy.

Belga Image

 

[Cory]

To continue to speak about " temporary tombs" won't certainly be appreciated by the Quirinale and by the government:

http://www.lastampa.it/2017/12/19/i...lma-del-re-Ak8fNSMdRKJFI54yGq0eWK/pagina.html

 

[Rudolph]

“The body of King Victor Emmanuel III has returned to Italy from Egypt, 70 years after he died there in exile.

But the royal reburial has brought back difficult memories for many and caused anger, as the BBC's Sofia Bettiza in Rome reports.”

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-europe-42400766?__twitter_impression=true

 

[Cory]

A debate about the Pantheon would even inflame more the spirits.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Here are some photos of members of the House of Savoy at the Basilica di Vicoforte

PPE Agency

 

[Cory]

Solemn Mass for the late King and Kate Queen at Vicoforte today:

Da tutto il Nord Italia hanno reso omaggio a Vittorio Emanuele III e alla regina Elena

Al Santuario di Vicoforte stamane, 28 dicembre, la prima messa in suffragio del re e della consorte

www.lastampa.it

 

[princeofitaly]

In Potenza, a petition to remove a road named to Vittorio Emanuele III:

https://napoli.repubblica.it/cronac...ulgo_le_leggi_razziali_-205857076/?refresh_ce

 

[CyrilVladisla]

King Victor Emmanuel III during his coronation in 1900
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-ki...ng-his-coronation-picture-from-177488558.html

 

[MAfan]

Actually there was no coronation for the Kings of Italy, just a ceremony in front of the Parliament where they swore loyalty to the Constitution, as it was required by art. 22 of the Albertine Statute.