Jewels of the Savoy: this is what is in the Bank of Italy vault

The request of the heirs of the Savoy

Emanuele Filiberto49 years old, together with Maria Gabriella, Maria Pia and Maria Beatriceheirs of Umberto II, through the lawyer Sergio Orlandi they have just come forward demanding the restitution of what can be called a real “treasure”.

Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy (Ansa)

The lawyer, in his letter, invites the competent bodies to provide “within 10 days of receipt of thisto the return of the above “, also granting” the contextual vision, having the heirs themselves the full right. Please contact the Bank of Italy to the firm of the undersigned for gthe necessary and confidential agreements“. Otherwise, he concluded the lawyer, “the competent judicial offices will be referred, to obtain the rights due to the heirs “. Below, the injured Italian royal family

A brief history of jewelry

And here is the problem. After the referendum of 1946, the then governor of the Bank of Italy, Luigi Einaudi – who later became the first President of the Republic – took over the “joys of endowment of the Kingdom Crown”. Since then the jewels have remained kept in the vault of the Bank of Italy. But to whom do the jewels of the Savoy family really belong?

Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, in the center, between the sisters Maria Gabriella, on the left, and Maria Beatrice in 2002: the two women, heirs, ask for the return of the precious jewels (Ansa)

According to the Constitution, “the assets, existing in the national territory, of the former kings of the House of Savoy, their spouses and their male descendants, they are lawyers to the state. The transfers and the establishment of real rights on the assets themselves, which took place after June 2, 1946 are null“. He confiscates it, though, it has never been practiced on jewelry of daily use by members of the royal family.

In fact, the delivery report to the Bank of Italy states that “they rely on the central cash desk in custodyto be kept available to those who by right, the precious objects that represent the so-called joys of endowment of the Crown of the Kingdom ». Yes, but who is eligible?

What does the box contain?

What does the precious blue leather case kept in a Bank of Italy vault since 1948? In its three floors, protected by 11 seals you find the wonder of:

6,732 brilliants
2,000 pearls of various sizes
1 rare pink diamond mounted on a large brooch
The long pearl necklaces of Queen Margaret II
The diadem of Queen Margaret II (in the picture)
The jewels of Princess Maria Antonia

Queen Margherita of Savoy wears the diadem in a vintage photo. (HANDLE)

The appraisal in the seventies

These 6,732 diamonds and 2 thousand pearls, for a total of almost 2 thousand caratsmounted on necklaces, bracelets, earrings, diadems and brooches they have never been exhibited. Except that, in the seventies, following some rumors of theft and tampering, it was decided to break the 11 seals that kept the box closed and carefully evaluate its contents.

That of 1976 was the first and only and last time that the jewels were checked and evaluated by the Bulgari maison, who estimated its value for two billion lire. But that was almost fifty years ago, so it is believed that, today, their value has risen to about 300 million euros.

As we read in the diaries of Luigi Einaudi, in the casket «there is the famous diadem of Queen Margherita, later worn by Queen Elena. There are other jewels, including those of Princess Maria Antonia. In any case, these are joys which had a particular history in the events of the House of Savoy ». Which now, in fact, asks for its full refund within 10 days.

And here we return again to the only important question of the whole affair: who has the right? «My grandfather wrote to whom by right, and to have that right are the heirs»Thundered Emanuele Filiberto peremptorily. That he wants to get back in possession of the jewels to «exhibit them in Italy because they are part of Italian history“.

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