House of Savoy Prince will renounce claim to country’s throne so it passes to influencer daughter

An Italian Prince is set to renounce his claim to Italy’s throne so that it passes directly to his teenage daughter, an influencer with a huge social media platform and following. 

Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy predicts his 19-year-old daughter Vittoria, a political science and history of art student at the University of London, will do a better job in the role than he would. 

The teen model has nearly 80,000 followers on Instagram, and she is affectionately dubbed the ‘rock n roll Princess’ by her 50-year-old father due to her interest in social media and fashion. 

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the Prince said he would step down ‘with great pleasure’ and added that he was ‘sure she will do better than me’. 

‘It’s important that the younger generation have a chance to put new, modern ideas into practice’, he added. 

The teen model has nearly 80,000 followers on Instagram, and she is affectionately dubbed the ‘rock n roll Princess’ by her 50-year-old father due to her interest in social media and fashion

The Savoy family had already changed ancient customs, known as the Salic Law, to allow Vittoria to inherit the throne

Currently, Italy does not have its own Royal Family, having abolished the monarchy in a referendum in 1946. 

But the House of Savoy, which was the birth family of Italy’s Kings from the country’s unification in the 19th century up to the point of abolition, has never given up hope that the monarchy will be restored. 

It has long pointed to Spain, where the monarchy was reinstated following the death of Franco in 1975. The country’s King, Felipe VI, is the son of King Juan Carlos, who led Spain’s transition to democracy. His heir presumptive is 17-year-old Leonor, Princess of Asturias. 

Despite there being little support for the monarchy to be reinstated, the Prince feels that many are still fascinated by monarchy, saying: ‘I think in times of crisis people see a strong, almost spiritual presence in Kings and Queens.’

The Prince’s decision to step down may have already been in the works. The Savoy family had already changed ancient customs, known as the Salic Law, to allow Vittoria to inherit the throne. 

The law previously stipulated the Royal line could only pass down to male heirs. 

But two years ago, the Prince’s father, Vittorio Emanuele, whose father was Italy’s last reigning King, changed the law, allowing his granddaughter to inherit the title. 

Prince Emanuele added that his decision to step down avoids his daughter waiting to inherit the throne, likening the predicament to that of King Charles, who waited decades to be crowned as his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, lived to the age of 96. 

‘He [Charles] is a wonderful King, but he did wait a long time’, he said. ‘Maybe it would have been helped if he had become King 20 years ago.

‘In a few years time there will be more Queens than Kings in Europe’, he added. ‘People are now understanding, even if it is a bit belated, that the intelligence and sensitivity of a woman makes them great leaders’.