Italian prince wants remains of last royal couple returned

Italian Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy would like to bring the remains of his grandparents back to Italy. His grandfather and grandmother were the last king and queen of Italy and lived in exile after the monarchy was abolished in Italy.

Umberto II and his wife Marie-José, the daughter of the Belgian King Albert I and sister of Leopold III, are currently buried at the Abbey of Hautecombe in France. Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy is now campaigning to have their remains transferred to Italy and buried in the Pantheon in Rome, the site originally intended as the burial place for Italian monarchs.

“It would be a gesture of reconciliation between the Italian republic and the House of Savoy,” the prince told The Times. “There is truly nothing that can be held against these two figures, who respected the Italian republic until the end of their lives.”

(FVDV - Source: The Times - Picture: Unsplash)