The Colosseum at sunrise in Rome.
Alexandros Spathari | Moment | Getty Images
Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, the only son of Italy’s last king, who lived in exile in neighboring Switzerland for most of his life, has died aged 86 at his home in Geneva, according to a statement from the Royal House of Savoy.
Born in the southern Italian city of Naples, he fled his homeland as a 9-year-old when his father Umberto II was forced out after the 1946 national referendum that abolished the monarchy and established a republic.
He had proclaimed himself King of Italy and fought for a long time the rule of the Italian Constitution that forbade all male members of his family to return to the country.
Vittorio Emanuele finally returned to Italian soil in November 2022 after parliament lifted the ban, traveling to Rome for a short visit just before Christmas and having an audience with Pope John Paul.
But he met a cool reception on his return, as the House of Savoy’s image had been tarnished by its World War II-era association with fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.
His own reputation was damaged when he was accused in 1978 of accidentally shooting and killing 19-year-old German Dirk Hammer in a port in Corsica.
Hammer was sleeping below deck on a boat when Vittorio Emanuele’s gun went off during an argument with holidaymakers. Hammer never recovered and died a few months later from his injuries.
Vittorio Emanuele was eventually acquitted of the murder in a French court in 1991 and given a suspended sentence for illegal possession of a rifle.
Hammer’s family had long disputed the verdict, and the case gained renewed attention when it was the focus of a recent Netflix documentary, “The King That Never Was.”
The prince ran into further legal trouble when he was arrested in 2006 by order of a judge in the southern Italian city of Potenza on charges of extortion and involvement in prostitution. He was acquitted after a trial.
While held in Potenza, he was recorded bragging to a relative that he had fooled the French judges in the Hamer case. Vittorio Emanuele disputed the authenticity of the video.
Friend of the Shah
He married the Swiss water ski champion and heiress Marina Doria in 1971 and they lived for many years in a plush villa on the shores of Lake Geneva.
In his younger years he worked as a salesman for the Italian helicopter company Agusta and formed a friendship with the Shah of Iran through his business dealings. His marriage took place in Tehran.
Although living in exile, Vittorio Emanuele was named in 1981 as one of more than 900 members of the illegal secret Masonic lodge Propaganda 2 (P2), a group at the center of many of Italy’s scandals in the late 20th century.
His grandfather, King Victor Emmanuel III, abdicated in favor of his son Umberto shortly before the 1946 referendum in a final, futile attempt to save the monarchy.
But Vittorio Emanuele’s parents, Umberto II and Maria Jose, ruled Italy for just over a month before the family headed into their long exile.
Vittorio Emanuele is survived by his wife and son, Emanuele Filiberto, who said in 2023 that he would renounce his claim to the Italian throne in favor of his daughter, Vittoria, when he felt she was ready for the challenge.