Manuel Filiberto de Saboya renounces himself and proclaims himself head of the Italian royal house

Manuel Filiberto of Savoy, grandson of the last king of Italy, has presented himself, after the recent death of his father Victor Emmanuel, as head of the family and Grand Master of the Dynastic Orders of the royal house of Savoy.

And just a few months ago he had announced that he would hand over these positions to his eldest daughter, Victoria, in a country without a crown that has not recognized noble titles or given them any relevance since 1946, when citizens, in a referendum, chose the republic as form of government.

The heir, a particular and controversial figure in the social panorama of the transalpine country, has gone back on his words and has recalled that the claimant to the hypothetical throne is him and his first-born daughter, nicknamed “the

influencer

princess ”, born in Switzerland and a student. in Paris, he will have to wait to take his place.

Manuel Filiberto de Saboya (51 years old, Geneva) revealed last June that he intended to pass the baton to his daughter as head of the family and explained that the young woman, 20 years old, was very happy with the decision and was already preparing to play the role of heir.

But now, in an interview with the newspaper

La Repubblica

in which she recalled her father's return to Italy from exile in 2003, she has indicated that her words at that time were understood incorrectly and that her daughter is too young to occupy first place in the line of succession.

“I have been misunderstood.

Victoria is studying and has to learn little by little, being by my side as I was with my father.

I am of the opinion that young people should be given space when they reach the right maturity.

So when the time comes, when I am too old and tired to continue, I will leave the place to her,” he explained.

More information

Manuel Filiberto de Saboya, after the death of his father: “My mother is inconsolable, she has lost the love of her life”

Victoria de Savoy, this February 13, at the Michael Kors show at New York Fashion Week. Jamie McCarthy (Getty Images for Michael Kors)

Victor Emmanuel of Savoy, who died at the age of 86 on February 3 in Geneva (Switzerland), canceled in 2019, when his granddaughter Victoria turned 18, the Salic law, which for centuries removed women from the line of succession. .

“She gave him a great gift.

It was his decision, he considered that in more modern times it was necessary to adapt the law in accordance with the 2009 Treaty of Lisbon, which imposes gender equality on the countries of the European Union and, therefore, equal rights between men and women. women.

Seeing what happens in other ruling houses, it was right to guarantee the succession to the eldest daughter of our family,” recalled Manuel Filiberto in the same interview.

In it he also celebrated that the majority of European monarchies will be led by women in the coming years, and recognized: "We are not kings and we will not have a queen, but we are a lineage with a thousand years of history, so it is fair that the son older, regardless of sex, is the head of the family.”

Marina Doria, accompanied by her son, on February 10 at the funeral of her husband, Victor Emmanuel of Savoy, held in Turin (Italy).Vittorio Zunino Celotto (Getty Images)

The Savoys have been fighting a battle for decades for the throne of Italy, although it no longer exists and is fictitious, with their cousins ​​from the Savoy-Aosta branch.

It all arose from the marriage in 1971 of Víctor Manuel de Saboya, father of Manuel Filiberto, with Marina Doria, belonging to the bourgeoisie and of plebeian origin, world champion in water skiing.

The couple married in a civil ceremony in Las Vegas first and in a religious ceremony in Tehran later.

The last king of Italy, Umberto II, father of the groom, did not give his consent to the union and was not present at either celebration.

The Savoy-Aostas denounce that one of the basic provisions by which the royal house was governed was then violated, which consisted of the consent of the king or head of the family to the marriages of the heirs.

So they consider themselves the legitimate successors.

Aimon of Savoy-Aosta and his wife, Princess Olga of Greece, in September 2023 during Milan Fashion Week.Mondadori Portfolio (Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Im)

At the wedding of King Felipe and Queen Letizia, in May 2004, Victor Emmanuel of Savoy and Amadeo of Savoy-Aosta even came to blows.

However, his sons, Manuel Filiberto and Prince Aimón, seem to have achieved some pacification.

Last weekend, Aimón de Savoy-Aosta attended his uncle's funeral in Turin with his wife, Princess Olga of Greece - whom he met at the wedding of Infanta Elena and Jaime de Marichalar - and maintained a tone conciliatory with his cousin Manuel Filiberto, who has explained that both have “a very good relationship.”

“With the new generations at the head of the two houses, a way will be found to leave the controversy behind and get to work together,” he assured.

Manuel Filiberto is a very media personality, popular for his eccentricities and, at times, also controversial in Italy.

From exile to nobleman, to culinary entrepreneur,

showman

, designer, patron, talk show host, jury of television contests, regular on television sets, contestant, singer or presenter, among a long etcetera.

Currently, he is the owner of some lower division football clubs, exploiting all kinds of facets to regain the esteem of the Italians.

He married the French actress Clotilde Marie Pascale Courau in 2003, in a lavish ceremony attended by 1,200 guests, including Prince Albert II of Monaco, the Duke and Duchess of Castro and the designers Pierre Cardin and Valentino Garavani.

The couple has two daughters, Victoria de Saboya, 20 years old, and Luisa de Saboya, 17. The aristocrat grew up in exile and was able to return to his country in 2002, at the age of 30, when the law that prevented entry was repealed. to the transalpine country to the male descendants of the last king.

Manuel Filiberto de Saboya, during his time on an Italian television program, 'Notti Sul Ghiaccio', in 2015.Elisabetta A. Villa (Getty Images)