Accession of King Umberto II of Italy

May 9th marked the 63rd anniversary of the accession of King Umberto II and his Belgian-born wife, Queen Marie-José, to the Italian throne. On May 9, 1946, Umberto’s father, King Vittorio Emanuele III abdicated in his son’s favour.

I highly recommend the blog The Cross of Laeken for more information on the Italian royal couple.

The last Savoy to have reigned in Italy died March 18, 1983 in Geneva, at the age of 79. He lived 44 of his 83 years in exile. His funeral was ignored by the Italian authorities (only the Italian consul in Lyon was present), but it was attended by ten thousand Italians who made their way to the abbey of Hautecombe near Aix-les-Bains in High Savoy, France. The funeral was attended by the King and Queen of Spain, the King and Queen of the Belgians, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Prince Rainier III of Monaco with his son and heir, Prince Albert, the Duke of Kent represented the Queen of the United Kingdom. The King of the Bulgarians, the King of Romania and the King of the Hellenes paid their last respect to King Umberto. The Vatican was represented by the Apostolic Nuncio in France.

http://radicalroyalist.blogspot.com/2009/05/accession-of-king-umberto-ii-of-italy.html

Thanks to Harold for the information!

NEW! Official Royal Link: The House of Savoy

From Hellomagazine.com

Auction bidders will have a chance to take home a piece of royal history next week when personal belongings of Italy’s last queen go under the hammer in London. Items, which include jewellery, paintings and furniture once owned by the late Queen Marie Jose, are being sold by her daughter Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy. The princess will use the profits from the sale to pay a tax bill and maintain the family home in Geneva.

Prince Victor Emmanuel, 70, and his 63-year-old cousin, Duke Amedeo D’Aosta, are heading to court to solve a quarrel between them which has endured for several years.[More]

The pretender to Italy’s throne, Victor Emmanuel, may pass the responsibility as head of the Savoy dynasty to his son.

The son of King Umberto II, Italy’s last king, Victor Emmanuel has been having his share of problems over the years. Recently, he was reputed to be part of a criminal ring that recruited prostitutes and bribed government officials. In the late 1970s, he was accused of killing a German tourist.

But those who hold out hope for the return of the Italian monarchy do not place their bets on the aging, scandal-ridden Victor Emmanuel, 69. Instead, they look to his son Emmanuel Filiberto, 34, to lead the House of Savoy. This would “give the royal lineage a fresher, and cleaner, face”.

Sent into exile after the Italian republic came to power in 1946, it was only in 2002 that male members of the Savoy dynasty were allowed back into Italy. They had been accused of siding with Moussolini during WWII, and were branded as traitors.

But when the government once again allowed the royal men of Savoy the country, there was a catch. In return, they had to swear allegiance to the Italian republic. However, there have been rumblings of a return to the throne for this controversial house by many monarchist groups around Italy.