Princess Vittoria of Savoy

Princess Vittoria of Savoy
Born (2003-12-28) 28 December 2003 (age 20)
Geneva, Switzerland
Names
Vittoria Cristina Adelaide Chiara Maria
HouseSavoy
FatherEmanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice
MotherClotilde Courau
ReligionCatholicism
House of Savoy

The Prince of Venice
The Princess of Venice

The Dowager Princess of Naples

Extended royal family
The Dowager Duchess of Aosta
  • The Duke of Aosta
    The Duchess of Aosta
    • The Duke of Apulia
    • The Duke of the Abruzzi
    • Princess Isabella
  • Princess Bianca, Countess Arrivabene-Valenti-Gonzaga
  • Princess Mafalda, Baroness Lombardo di San Chirico
Princess Maria Isabella

Vittoria Cristina Adelaide Chiara Maria di Savoia (born 28 December 2003) is the daughter and heir apparent to Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, Prince of Venice, who is a claimant to the headship of the House of Savoy.[1][2][3]

As the succession laws of the House of Savoy only permitted males to succeed in their domains, a woman succeeding to the headship of the House of Savoy is unprecedented. In 2019, Vittorio Emanuele, Vittoria's grandfather, proclaimed that the laws of the House of Savoy were to be changed, and Vittoria was placed as second in line to the headship of the house of Savoy, behind her father.[4]

Vittoria is the first female member of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation, which was established in 1362.

Early life and family

Vittoria was born on 28 December 2003 in Geneva, Switzerland. Her father Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice was then the disputed heir apparent to the Italian throne and her mother Clotilde Courau is a French actress. Her younger sister Luisa was born in 2006. She is the granddaughter of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, the disputed head of the House of Savoy, and his wife Marina Doria. Her great-grandfather, King Umberto II was the last King of Italy before the monarchy was abolished in a 1946 referendum. Her great-grandmother was Marie-José of Belgium, the last Queen of Italy.

Christening

She was christened on 30 May 2004 by cardinal Giovanni Cheli at the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi in Assisi. Her godparents were Ottavio Mazzola and Roberta Fabbri. The baby wore the christening gown that had been worn by her great-great-grandfather King Vittorio Emanuele III at his christening on 30 November 1869. Among the guests were Prince Albert of Monaco, Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy, Prince Sergius of Yugoslavia and Princess Mafalda of Hesse, granddaughter of Princess Mafalda of Savoy. The parents selected Assisi in light of its symbolism of peace.[5]

Succession

In 2019 Vittoria's grandfather, Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, changed the rules of succession which previously only allowed males to be the heir to the throne.[6][7] Under the rule changes, Vittoria, as the firstborn child of her father, will one day succeed him as the disputed head of the House of Savoy. Her parents had never produced a male heir but had two daughters. Despite being the disputed heir to the now-defunct Italian throne, she lives in Paris in neighbouring France.[4] The current line of succession within the House of Savoy is disputed by Prince Aimone, 6th Duke of Aosta.[8]

The headship of the house of Savoy is currently disputed by Aimone di Savoia Aosta, a descendant of Victor Emmanuel II's younger son, Amadeo I of Spain. The origins of the dispute stem from Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples's marriage to Marina Doria, which Aimone's father, Amadeo claimed was done without the permission of Umberto II, therefore excluding Vittorio Emanuele and all of his descendants from succeeding to the headship of the House of Savoy.[8]

In June 2023, her father Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice announced he would renounce his claim as disputed heir apparent in favour of Vittoria, however he has yet to formally do so. If he does, that would make Vittoria the claimed Duchess of Savoy and disputed head of the House of Savoy pretender to the throne of Italy.[9]

On 8 October 2023, she was made a member of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation, being the first female ever to be admitted into the order, which was established in 1362.[10]

Honours

Ancestry

References

  1. ^ "Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy has died". ANSA English.
  2. ^ "Young princess fights for her claim to the (abolished) throne of Italy". ABC News.
  3. ^ "Emanuele Filiberto: «L'erede dei Savoia sarà donna». No dai senatori del Regno". www.ilmattino.it (in Italian). 15 January 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  4. ^ a b Horowitz, Jason (10 May 2021). "Paris Teenager's New Gig: Would-Be Queen of Italy. A Nation Shrugs". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  5. ^ "Primeras fotografías de Victoria de Saboya, hija del príncipe Filiberto y Clotilde Courau". ¡Hola! (in Spanish). 8 January 2004..
  6. ^ "Young princess fights for her claim to the (abolished) throne of Italy". ABC News. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  7. ^ Horowitz, Jason (10 May 2021). "Paris Teenager's New Gig: Would-Be Queen of Italy. A Nation Shrugs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Detronizzato Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia in favore del cugino" [Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy dethroned in favor of his cousin]. la Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno. 7 July 2006. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  9. ^ "19-year-old influencer could be Italian queen after prince gave up the throne". UNILAD. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  10. ^ "ON 7 AND 8 OCTOBER, GENEVA HOSTED THE ANNUAL GENERAL CHAPTER OF THE DYNASTIC ORDERS OF THE ROYAL HOUSE OF SAVOY. – Ordini Dinastici della Real Casa di Savoia". Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  11. ^ "H.R.H. EMANUELE FILIBERTO OF SAVOY, PRINCE OF PIEDMONT AND VENICE MET H.M.E.H. FRA' JOHN DUNLAP, PRINCE AND GRAND MASTER OF THE SOVEREIGN MILITARY ORDER OF MALTA – Ordini Dinastici della Real Casa di Savoia". Retrieved 9 February 2024.


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