Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Savoy Succession Dispute Deepens: Prince of Naples, Son of Last King of Italy, Abolishes Salic Law

The Secretariat of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, has confirmed that the prince has decided to abolish to Salic Law, which governs the line of succession in the Royal House of Savoy, and to replace it with absolute primogenture. Vittorio Emanuele is the only son of the late King Umberto II of Italy and Queen Marie-José (née Belgium).  Since 2006, the claim to the Headship of the Royal House has been disputed between Vittorio Emanuele and his cousin Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta.
Victor Emmanuel of Savoy and Marina Doria
From his marriage to commoner Marina Doria, the Prince of Naples has one son: Emanuele Filiberto, who owns food trucks in Los Angeles. Emanuele Filiberto, titled as Prince of Venice by his late grandfather, has two daughters, Vittoria and Luisa, from his marriage to French actress Clotilde Courau. This move by the Prince of Naples to allow his granddaughters to become dynasts after their father, the Prince of Venice, whose dynastic status is already disputed by many Italian monarchists owing to his father's unequal and unauthorised marriage to his mother Marina.
The documents released detailing the succession change for the main-line Savoys show that Vittorio Emanuele took the decision on 28 December 2019 at Geneva, where he lives. The Prince of Naples grants to his eldest granddaughter Vittoria (b.Geneva 28 December 2003) the titles "Princess of Carignano" (Principessa di Carignano) and "Marchioness of Ivrea" (Marchesa d'Ivrea). Vittoria of Savoy also becomes a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus. Luisa of Savoy (b.Geneva 16 August 2006), the younger granddaughter of Vittorio Emmanuele, receives the titles of "Princess of Chieri" (Principessa di Chieri) and "Countess of Salemi" (Contessa di Salemi). Like her sister, Luisa becomes a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus.
The Prince of Naples states that his decision has effect immediately. It is noted that the Princesses Vittoria and Luisa will accompany their father the Prince of Venice to a service on 14 March 2020 at Hautecombe Abbey to commemorate King Umberto II and Queen Marie-José.
This announcement will likely be condemned in due course by the Duke of Aosta and the Unione Monarchica Italiana (Italian Monarchist Union).

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The Italian Monarchist Union Condemns Move By Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy

The Unione Monarchica Italiana has condemned the unilateral move of Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, in his announcement today that he will be abolishing the Salic law that governs the Royal House of Savoy. Unfortunately for the Prince of Naples, the majority of Italian monarchists support his cousin Prince Amedeo, Duke of Savoy, as Head of the Royal House.
Following is the communiqué released by the UMI: PRESS RELEASE OF THE ITALIAN MONARCHIST UNION It seems evident to anyone with a limited knowledge of the law, and of the constitutional one in particular, that the matter of the succession to the throne of a state governed by a constitutional monarchy should necessarily be found in the fundamental Charter of the State, that is, in its Constitution. In fact, the Albertine Statute refers to art. 2 regarding the rules of succession to the throne, stating that "the throne is inherited according to the Salic law". It follows from this that only a new constitutional charter of the Kingdom, to be approved in the forms proper to a State "governed by a Representative Monarchical Government" (also in art. 2) could modify the rule of succession to the throne. The succession is vested in the Savoy Family, and can only be changed by the organs of the Representative State, that is to say, of the Parliament in its constituent function. It is deduced that the initiative announced today [by Vittorio Emmanuele di Savoia] constitutes an announcement devoid of any legal effect. Rome, 01/15/2019 The National PresidentAlessandro Sacchi

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Wednesday, January 8, 2020

In Memoriam: Infanta Pilar of Spain (1936 - 2020)

In Memoriam
† Infanta doña Pilar de España (1936 - 2020) Duquesa de Badajoz Vizcondesa viuda de la Torre
HRH Infanta doña Pilar of Spain, Duchess of Badajoz, Dowager Viscountess of La Torre, died on Wednesday, 8 January 2020, at the Ruber Internacional Hospital in Madrid. She was eighty-three years-old. The infanta had suffered from cancer for a number of years.
Juan, Count of Barcelona. 
Maria, Countess of Barcelona.
Doña María del Pilar Alfonsa Juana Victoria Luisa Ignacia y Todos los Santos de Borbón y Borbón, Infanta of Spain, was born on 30 July 1936 at Villa Saint Blaise, the home of her parents, in Cannes, France, as the eldest child of Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona (1913-1993), and his wife Maria de las Mercedes (1910-2000; née Princess of Bourbon-Two Sicilies), who married in 1935. Pilar's paternal grandparents were King Alfonso XIII of Spain (1886-1941) and Queen Victoria Eugenia (1887-1969; née Princess of Battenberg). Pilar's maternal grandparents were Infante Carlos of Spain, Prince of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (1870-1949) and his second wife Princess Louise (1882-1958; née Princess d'Orléans). Pilar's maternal grandfather Carlos' first wife, Infanta Maria de las Mercedes of Spain (1880-1904), was the sister of Pilar's paternal grandfather, King Alfonso XIII of Spain.
King Alfonso XIII of Spain, Pilar's paternal grandfather and her godfather.
Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain, paternal grandmother of Infanta Pilar.
Princess Maria Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Countess of Caserta, maternal great-grandmother of Infanta Pilar. PHOTOGRAPH (C) EUROPEAN ROYAL PHOTO ARCHIVE. THIS IMAGE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED.
In early August 1936, Infanta Pilar was christened at the Église Notre-Dame des Pins in Cannes. Her paternal grandmother, Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain, and her maternal great-grandmother, the Countess of Caserta (1851-1938; née Princess Maria Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies), were present. The Countess of Caserta was Pilar's godmother; Pilar's grandfather King Alfonso XIII, who was not present (owing to his wife's attendance), was her godfather. The infanta was named to honour Nuestra Señora del Pilar of Zaragoza.
Pilar was followed by two brothers and one sister. Juan Carlos, future King of Spain, arrived in 1938. Infanta Margarita was born in 1939. Infante Alfonso, born in 1941, was the benjamin of the family. Although Pilar was born in France, the youngest three children of the Count and Countess of Barcelona were all born in Rome. The family moved to Portugal in 1943, where they resided at the Villa Giralda in Estoril. Pilar's youngest brother Alfonso died in a tragic accident in 1956: he was only fourteen years-old. At Estoral, Pilar was a student at the Colegio Esclavas do Sagrado Coração de Jesus, where she concentrated on learning history, geography, literature, and religion. Afterwards, Pilar studied nursing at the Escuela de enfermería Arturo Ravara in Lisbon. Besides Spanish, the infanta was fluent in English, French, Portuguese, and Italian.
Infanta Pilar, Queen Victoria Eugenia, and don Luis.
Isabelle, Countess of Paris; Claude, Duchess of Aosta; and Carl, Duke of Württemberg
The Princesses of Orléans with their Brazilian cousin Princess Maria da Gloria, future wife of Alexander of Serbia. 
Don Luis, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, and Infanta Pilar.
Juan Carlos and Sofía, the future King and Queen of Spain.
King Umberto arriving with his son Prince Vittorio Emmanuele and his daughter Princess Maria Gabriella. 
The Prince and Princess Napoléon (née Alix de Foresta).
The Count and Countess of Barcelona arrive at the wedding of their eldest child along with their son-in-law's parents. They are followed by doña Sofía and Duke Philipp of Württemberg. 
Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, with his daughter, the bride-to-be, the Infanta Pilar. 
Luis and Pilar at the altar.
Luis and Pilar.
Infanta Pilar with her husband Luis, her grandmother Victoria Eugenia, and her mother Maria.
On 5 May 1967, Infanta Pilar married don Luis Gómez-Acebo y Duque de Estrada, Viscount de la Torre, Grandee of Spain. Luis was born in 1934 as the son of don Jaime Gómez-Acebo y Modet (1897-1977) and doña Isabel Duque de Estrada y Vereterra, Marquesa de Deleitosa (1907-1979). The wedding of Pilar and Luis was held at Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon, Portugal. Pilar's husband was a first cousin of doña Margarita Gómez-Acebo y Cejuela (b.1935), who had married in 1962 to Pilar's cousin King Simeon II of the Bulgarians (b.1937). Indeed, Pilar and Luis had become acquainted with one another at the home of Simeon and Margarita of Bulgaria. The Count and Countess of Barcelona had hoped for a royal husband for their eldest child (such as King Baudouin of Belgium), but they eventually came around to Pilar's choice. Among others, the marriage of Infanta Pilar of Spain was attended by the following royal relations and friends: Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain, the Count and Countess of Barcelona, Prince Juan Carlos and Princess Sophia of Spain, Infanta Margarita of Spain, Infanta Beatriz of Spain, Queen Mother Giovanna of Bulgaria, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, Princess Antoinette of Monaco, King Umberto II of Italy with his children Victor Emmanuel and Maria Gabriella, the Duke of Bragança, Duke Franz of Bavaria, the Count and Countess of Paris, Princess Anne d'Orléans (Duchess of Calabria), Princess Diane d'Orléans and husband Duke Carl of Württemberg, Princess Claude d'Orléans (Duchess of Aosta), Princess Chantal d'Orléans, Princess Esperanza of Orléans-Bragança and her daughter Princess Maria da Gloria, Infanta Filippa of Portugal, and the Prince and Princess Napoléon. Thousands of Spanish citizens came to Lisbon to witness the wedding of the eldest child of the Count and Countess of Barcelona.
Infanta Pilar was given the title Duchess of Badajoz by her father before her wedding. At the same time, General Francisco Franco authorised Pilar to use her title of Infanta de España in her family's country. The Count of Barcelona rehabilitated the title of Viscount (Vizconde) of la Torre for his soon-to-be son-in-law shortly before Pilar and Luis were married. Pilar renounced her rights of succession to the Spanish throne on the occasion of her marriage.
Infanta Pilar and don Luis Gómez-Acebo with their five children.
Infanta Pilar and don Luis quickly set about establishing a family. The couple had five children, one daughter and four sons: doña Simoneta Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (b.1968); don Juan Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (b.1969), Vizconde de La Torre; don Bruno Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (b.1971); don Beltrán Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (b.1973); and don Fernando Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (b.1974). Sadly, doña Pilar was left a widow when don Luis Gómez-Acebo died from cancer at the rather young age of fifty-six in 1991. All of the children of Infanta Pilar married and had children: they gave her eleven grandchildren.
Pilar was a great supporter of equestrian sports. The infanta was the President of the International Equestrian Federation from 1994 to 2006. Doña Pilar was also a strong advocate for the Nuevo Futuro charity, whose fundraising events she attended faithfully over the decades. It goes without saying that Pilar was a steadfast anchor of her brother Juan Carlos and her sister Margarita. Infanta Pilar was a "grande dame" with a quick wit and a sharp tongue.
Following her death, Infanta Pilar of Spain was cremated, and her ashes will be buried at the San Isidro cemetery in Madrid, where her husband Luis was buried. King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía, King Felipe and Queen Letizia, the infanta's children and grandchildren, King Simeon and Queen Margarita of Bulgaria, the Dowager Duchess of Calabria, the Duke of Calabria, and Princess Béatrice d'Orléans, have all been present at the funeral home as the preparations for the infanta's burial are finalised.
May S.A.R. Pilar de Borbón y Borbón, Infanta de España, Rest In Peace.
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A Baby for Prince Casimir and Princess Alana zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn

Princess Alana of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn and her husband Prince Casimir are expecting their first child. The princess showed off her baby bump in a post on Instagram today.
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A post shared by Alana Bunte (@miss_acb) on
Prince Casimir and Alana Bunte married in June 2019. The S-W-S baby is expected in April 2020.
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Tuesday, January 7, 2020

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Rogue Royals?

On Wednesday, 8 January, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they intend to step back as “senior royals” in 2020. However, the royal couple will remain as working members of the Royal Family. The duke, who is the second son of the Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, is sixth in the line of succession to the British throne. The then Prince Harry of Wales married Meghan Markle in 2018; their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor was born in 2019.
The duke and duchess will work to become financially independent while fully supporting The Queen, their statement read. Their announcement has no effect on their royal titles or on the duke and his son's place in the line of succession: this can only be changed via an Act of Parliament. On the website of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, particular emphasis is placed on their desire to achieve financial independence while still carrying out certain royal duties as well as maintaining their patronages. Given this, it seems the couple may be trying to protect the British royal family from criticism that has constantly been levelled by the press at nearly all members, at one time or another over the past three centuries, in regards to the cost of upkeep of royal family members. The following is from Sussex Royal:
Why are The Duke and Duchess of Sussex choosing this new working model? 
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex take great pride in their work and are committed to continuing their charitable endeavours as well as establishing new ones. In addition, they value the ability to earn a professional income, which in the current structure they are prohibited from doing. For this reason they have made the choice to become members of the Royal Family with financial independence. Their Royal Highnesses feel this new approach will enable them to continue to carry out their duties for Her Majesty The Queen, while having the future financial autonomy to work externally. While the contribution from The Sovereign Grant covers just five percent of costs for The Duke and Duchess and is specifically used for their official office expense, Their Royal Highnesses prefer to release this financial tie. More details on the specifics of the Sovereign Grant are outlined below. 
What is the Sovereign Grant? 
The Sovereign Grant is the annual funding mechanism of the monarchy that covers the work of the Royal Family in support of HM The Queen including expenses to maintain official residences and workspaces. In this exchange, The Queen surrenders the revenue of the Crown Estate and in return, a portion of these public funds are granted to The Sovereign/The Queen for official expenditure. This is outlined in the 2018-19 Annual Report of the Sovereign Grant which is linked below. Please note, this structure replaced The Civil List in 2012. More details on this can be found on The United Kingdom’s public sector information website: gov.uk 
Do any other members of the Royal Family hold a title and earn an income? 
Yes, there is precedent for this structure and applies to other current members of the Royal Family who support the monarch and also have full time jobs external to their commitment to the monarchy. 
Do The Duke and Duchess of Sussex earn income? 
No, under the current structure and financing arrangements, they are prohibited from earning any income in any form. 
Do The Duke and Duchess of Sussex benefit financially from their charitable and cause-driven work? 
No, see above. 
By becoming financially independent, will The Duke and Duchess of Sussex be cutting ties with the monarchy? 
As working members of the Royal Family, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain dedicated to maximising Her Majesty’s legacy both in the UK and throughout the Commonwealth. They will continue to proudly do so by supporting their patronages and carrying out works for The Monarchy within the UK or abroad, as called upon.
The Sussexes will divide their time between the UK and North America. As part of the decision of the couple to adapt their working model, they have also adopted a media relations policy, which is outlined on their website, that will be more conducive to their role.
How will The Duke and Duchess of Sussex handle media relations in the future? 
In the spring of 2020, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be adopting a revised media approach to ensure diverse and open access to their work. This adjustment will be a phased approach as they settle into the new normality of their updated roles. This updated approach aims to:
  • Engage with grassroots media organisations and young, up-and-coming journalists; 
  • Invite specialist media to specific events/engagements to give greater access to their cause-driven activities, widening the spectrum of news coverage; 
  • Provide access to credible media outlets focused on objective news reporting to cover key moments and events; 
  • Continue to share information directly to the wider public via their official communications channels; 
  • No longer participate in the Royal Rota system. 
What is the ‘Royal Rota’ system? 
The Royal Rota was established more than 40 years ago as a way of giving UK print and broadcast media exclusive inside access to the official engagements of members of the Royal Family. 
Under this system, the rota, or pool, gives these British media representatives the opportunity to exclusively cover an event, on the understanding that they will share factual material obtained with other members of their sector who request it. The current system predates the dramatic transformation of news reporting in the digital age. The core group of UK outlets with Royal Rota access remain the predominant news source through which worldwide media organisations receive content on the official engagements of members of the Royal Family. These UK media outlets are: The Daily Express, The Daily Mail, The Daily Mirror, The Evening Standard, The Telegraph, The Times, The Sun. 
Why have The Duke and Duchess of Sussex elected to change their media policy now? 
The Duke and Duchess have chosen to revise their media policy to reflect both their forthcoming change as members of the Royal Family with financial independence, and their wish to reshape and broaden access to their work.
See below for the full statement of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex:
It is unclear how much coordination the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have undertaken with The Queen and the rest of the Royal Family in regards to their decision. Buckingham Palace issued the following statement this evening, indicating that the institution might not have been fully aware of the Sussexes' plans:
Source: 
Sussex Royal - Funding
Harry and Meghan to step back as senior royals
Royal Family 'deeply disappointed' as Prince Harry and Meghan fail to consult them before 'stepping back'
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Thursday, January 2, 2020

Huno and Johann: The Twin Dukes of Oldenburg Celebrate Their Birthday

Hereditary Grand Duke Nikolaus of Oldenburg and Princess Helene of Waldeck and Pyrmont
Hereditary Grand Duchess Helene of Oldenburg
Hereditary Grand Duke Nikolaus of Oldenburg and Hereditary Grand Duchess Helene (née Waldeck und Pyrmont)

On 3 January 1940, Hereditary Grand Duke Nikolaus of Oldenburg (1897-1970) and his wife Hereditary Grand Duchess Helene (1899-1948; née Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont) welcomed the arrival of twins: two boys. Their sons Duke Huno Friedrich Peter Max and Duke Johann Friedrich Adolf were born at Lensahn in Schleswig-Holstein. The youngest of their family, Huno and Johann followed seven older siblings: Duke Anton-Günther (1923-2014), Duchess Rixa (1924-1939), Duke Peter (1926-2016), Duchess Eilika (1928-2016), Duke Egilmar (1934-2013), Duke Friedrich August (1936-2017), and Duchess Altburg (b.1938).

 
Duke Huno and Duchess Fenita of Oldenburg in 2011

Duke Huno of Oldenburg married Countess Felicitas-Anita "Fenita" Schwerin von Krosigk (b.1941) in 1970. Fenita was the daughter of Count Lutz Schwerin von Krosigk (1887-1977), who served as the Minister of Finance during the Third Reich, and of Baroness Ehrengard von Plettenberg (1897-1979). Duke Huno and Duchess Fenita have two daughters: Duchess Beatrix (b.1971; wife of Sven von Storch) and Duchess Sophie (b.1972; wife of Joseph von Radowitz).

Duke Johann and Duchess Ilka of Oldenburg in 1997
Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse
Johann and Ilka of Oldenburg with their daughter Eilika and her fiancé Georg of Austria in 1997
Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse 
Johann and Ilka of Oldenburg with their daughter Tatjana and her fiancé Jean d'Orléans in 2001
Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse
Johann and Ilka of Oldenburg at the marriage of their daughter Tatjana to Count Axel de Chavagnac in 2010
Photograph (c) Seeger-Presse

Duke Johann married Countess Ilka zu Ortenburg (b.1942) in 1971. Ilka was the daughter of Count Alfred-Friedrich zu Ortenburg (1906-1973) and Jutta von Lücken (1906-1991). Johann and Ilka have two daughters and one son: Duchess Eilika (b.1972; wife of Archduke Georg of Austria), Duchess Tatjana (b.1974; wife of Comte Axel de Chavagnac; former fiancée of Prince Jean d'Orléans, Duke of Vendôme, now Count of Paris), and Duke Konstantin (b.1975; husband of Esther Sáchez Calvo).

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