Death and Funeral of Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, Prince of Naples, Feb 2024

[Stefan]

The deceased Victor Emanuel went to the Funeral of Queen Fabiola and was seated behind the Belgian Royal Family. Also Emanuele Filiberto a couple years said in an interview that he was coming straight from a skiing weekend with the brother of the King of Belgium (I assume he meant Prince Laurent).

Indeed Vittorio Emanuele did attend all the recent belgian funerals and Weddings (except the ones of Princess Astrid's children)

 

[An Ard Ri]

Archduke Lorenz' mother was a Savoie by birth. His and Princess Astrid's absence IS curious, to say the least.

Prince Lorenz absence is very strange indeed!

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Prince Lorenz absence is very strange indeed!

Not really, Lorenz’s mother came from the Savoy-Aosta branch and was he even close to the main branch of Savoys? But one of his brothers, Martin was present

Such a bummer for the Belgian RF to miss this. VE attended King Baudouin's funeral.

Princess Maria Isabella of Savoy-Genoa did not attend too? Or sent representative?

Not really, the eldest living descendant of the Genoa branch lives in Brazil and she’s elderly. I don’t think they were close to that branch either.

The royal houses that chose to ignore the funeral were mostly the Protestant ones (the British, the Dutch, the Scandinavian, and the non-Catholic German houses) although there were some missing Catholic families (Bavaria, Belgium, Liechtenstein) and Orthodox families (Romania) too.

The extensive guestlist, however, seems to indicate that the Savoys are not exactly "on the fringes of royal society" in Europe and, moreover, it was an implicit recognition of Emanuele Filiberto as the new head of the House, at least by the royal houses that were in attendance, not to mention obviously by the Roman Catholic Church, which is the most important endorsement in Italy.

Actually these can be positive times for the main branch of the Savoys. Emanuele Filiberto is (was?) a bit of a playboy, but he is well-known, possibly even a celebrity, in Italy. I believe that he and his gorgeous young daughters have the potential to become very popular with younger generations of Italians. That doesn't mean a restoration of the monarchy, or that anyone will seriously consider them for any semi-official state role as the Royal House of Romania has apparently managed to secure for example, but hopefully there will be a "normalization" of the relations between the Italian Republic and the House of Savoy, more along the lines of what we see in Portugal, maybe even in Austria or in France, where the Royal Family is respected as part of the heritage of the country.

Of course I don't expect either that the Italian Republic will return the Quirinale Palace or Villa Ada to the Savoys, as Vittorio Emanuele once (somewhat delusionally) demanded, but they may make some progress getting back their family jewels for example, which I sincerely hope. Punishments cannot carry over from one generation to another in the same family. That is wrong.

I don’t think most of the Protestant Houses ignored it, but most of them aren’t close to the main branch of Savoys. Do they have a relationship with the Liechtenstein Princes? I don’t think so. Nor did they seem to have any close relations with the Wittlesbachs.

 

[Stefan]

I don’t think most of the Protestant Houses ignored it, but most of them aren’t close to the main branch of Savoys. Do they have a relationship with the Liechtenstein Princes? I don’t think so. Nor did they seem to have any close relations with the Wittlesbachs.

But to Duke Franz of Bavaria and his brother Max they are actually related via Queen Elisabeth of Belgium and her sister Marie Gabriele.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

But to Duke Franz of Bavaria and his brother Max they are actually related via Queen Elisabeth of Belgium and her sister Marie Gabriele.

No I’m talking about friendships with the Savoys, did they go to any events of the Wittlesbachs?

 

[Blog Real]

Message from Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Savoy and Prince of Venice on the day his father would have turned 87 years old.

https://www.ordinidinasticicasasavo...filiberto-duca-di-savoia-principe-di-venezia/

https://www.ordinidinasticicasasavoia.it/site/wp-content/uploads/NOTA-SAR-EF-20240212.pdf

 

[Adda]

It's also Marina's 89th birthday. What a sad day for her.

 

[Benjamin]

Such a bummer for the Belgian RF to miss this. VE attended King Baudouin's funeral.

Princess Maria Isabella of Savoy-Genoa did not attend too? Or sent representative?

Princess Maria Isabella of Savoy-Genoa is closer to her relatives of the Aosta branch, especially since her late cousin Princess Maria Christina lived in Brazil, where Maria Isabella also resides.

Interestingly, in 1967, it was reported by the Italian newspaper La Stampa that Vittorio Emanuele and Maria Isabella were to be engaged.

 

[An Ard Ri]

It's also Marina's 89th birthday. What a sad day for her.

And her 1st birthday as a widow too!

 

[maria-olivia]

Will Vittoria , Principessa di Carignano be Principessa di Piemonte as her Father was before ?
Marina is Principessa di Napoli and Clothilde Principessa di Venezia.

 

[JGio]

Will Vittoria , Principessa di Carignano be Principessa di Piemonte as her Father was before ?
Marina is Principessa di Napoli and Clothilde Principessa di Venezia.

I think Vittoria has become the new Princess of Naples, while Marina has become the Dowager Princess of Naples (I don’t think she’ll be known by that anyway). Clotilde has become the new Duchess of Savoy and remains princess of Venice (it’s a title not linked to the succession to the Headship, it’s just a title given to EF at his baptism). However, she’s no longer the Princess of Piedmont, having her husband become the Head of the House of Savoy. This titles has reverted to the Crown let’s say. But in Italy the crownprincely title alternates between Prince(ss) of Piedmont and Prince(ss) of Naples.

 

[maria-olivia]

The Heir was always Prince(ss) of Piemont ?

 

[JGio]

The Heir was always Prince(ss) of Piemont ?

No, it alternates between Prince of Naples and Prince of Piedmont.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

The report on the funeral on the website of the family's orders:

https://www.ordinidinasticicasasavoia.it/en/final-tribute-to-h-r-h-vittorio-emanuele/

At 3 p.m. on Saturday, the solemn funeral service took place in the Cathedral of San Giovanni in Turin, presided over by His Excellency Monsignor Paolo de Nicolò, Grand Prior of the Dynastic Orders, in the presence of the entire Royal Family, numerous representatives of foreign Royal Houses and many civil authorities, as well as representatives of the Dynastic Orders, the National Institute for the Guard of Honour at the Royal Tombs of the Pantheon and many associations.

The coffin of Prince Victor Emmanuel was carried into the church by six members of the Dynastic Orders, followed by the Duke of Savoy, Prince Emanuele Filiberto, and H.E. the Grand Chancellor, who wore the collar of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation. H.R.H. Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta, H.R.H. Prince Dimitrj of Yugoslavia, H.R.H. Prince Serge of Yugoslavia and H.E. Count Agostino Guarienti di Brenzone were part of the escort of honour.

In a deeply moving atmosphere, the Grand Prior described the Prince’s personality and offered words of profound consolation, especially for His august consort, Princess Marina, and for the Duke of Savoy, Emanuele Filiberto, and His family.

Our heartfelt thanks go to H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, H.M.E.H. the Sovereign Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Fr’ John Dunlap, H.M. Queen Sofia of Spain, H.M. King Fuad II of Egypt, to representatives of the Royal Houses of Albania, Saudi Arabia, Hesse, Austria Este, Belgium, Bonaparte, the Bourbons of the Two Sicilies, Bulgaria, Greece, Yugoslavia, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Orleans, Portugal, Russia, and to all those who brought comfort to a moment of sorrow with their warm presence.

 

[Somebody]

They are thanking among others the reprrsentative of Belgium 'for their warm presence'. So, was this drafted before the service or was someone from the Belgian royal family truly present?

 

[Tatiana Maria]

They are thanking among others the reprrsentative of Belgium 'for their warm presence'. So, was this drafted before the service or was someone from the Belgian royal family truly present?

Someone upthread mentioned that the Belgian king and queen sent a wreath; could that be what they mean by including Belgium?

 

[Somebody]

Someone upthread mentioned that the Belgian king and queen sent a wreath; could that be what they mean by including Belgium?

That wouldnt qualify as 'warm presence' imho. Had it been a more general statement of thanking them for 'their support', sending a wreath would have qualified imho.

 

[kalnel]

That wouldnt qualify as 'warm presence' imho. Had it been a more general statement of thanking them for 'their support', sending a wreath would have qualified imho.

Is there any chance it could have been meant sarcastically?

 

[Somebody]

Is there any chance it could have been meant sarcastically?

The others mentioned were present, so no, that would be really strange.

 

[Stefan]

They are thanking among others the reprrsentative of Belgium 'for their warm presence'. So, was this drafted before the service or was someone from the Belgian royal family truly present?

They mention also representatives from the House of Hesse but none was seen in pics. Could it be that Prince Lorenz asked his brother Martin to represent Him?

 

[An Ard Ri]

That wouldnt qualify as 'warm presence' imho. Had it been a more general statement of thanking them for 'their support', sending a wreath would have qualified imho.

There was anything but a Belgian Warm presence ,Prince Laurent isn't exactly a hard working royal and could have been sent to represent the king.
On second thoughts he'd probably have a scowl on his face or worse fall asleep,a wreath was the next best option.

 

[Young Duchess]

Good afternoon, newbie here! Thank you all for making this community so special, and many thanks to An Ard Ri for the warm welcome!

The funeral was quite interesting to watch. I'd have never expected A-List royals to turn up, to be frank. The Prince of Monaco, Queen Sofia...

Does anybody know, does Marina Doria still own that old villa on Lake Geneva? Does she live there now? The decoration was so bizarre.

 

[Marengo]

Was it their own villa or did it belong to queen Marie José? I remember some photoshoots in the 90s.

 

[Young Duchess]

Was it their own villa or did it belong to queen Marie José? I remember some photoshoots in the 90s.

There's a more recent YT video with EF being interviewed there.
One of them must have inherited it upon the death of Queen M-J, I suppose.

 

[MAfan]

Queen Maria José lived at the Chateau de Merlinge, in Meinier, while Vittorio Emanuele and Marina lived in a different mansion in Vésenaz, which they built and decorated in the 1970s.
In recent years the mansion of Vésenaz was vacated, as Vittorio Emanuele and Marina relocated to a smaller residence in Gstaad.
I don't know if eventually the Vésenaz mansion was sold.

 

[Marengo]

Thanks for that! The 70s building does indeed feel very 70s. It is very whimsical and consistent. It seems the family as able to retrieve some of the art work from the palaces? there are some paintings of Savoy ancestors it seems. The castle of the late Queen is of course more conventionally beautiful.

 

[JGio]

The villa in Vesenaz was sold in late 2023 for 13m Swiss francs. With it they also auctioned several pieces of furniture and objects.
VE and Marina has moved years ago to their chalet in Gstaad and the villa had been empty for years so they decided to sell it. Most furniture was designed by Princess Marina specifically for the villa, some are true works of art, so many pieces were auctioned as they had no space in Gstaad to bring them. All Savoy heirlooms have been kept anyway, EF assured.

 

[Young Duchess]

It's exactly this 70's villa I had in mind, so thank you all for sharing the information and links!

Very peculiar taste, just as I remembered it.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

How did the late Vittorio Emanuele and his wife Marina earn their living?

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Wasn't Marina Doria an independently wealthy heiress?