Princess Maria Francesca of Savoy

Princess Maria Francesca of Savoy (Maria Francesca Anna Romana; 26 December 1914 7 December 2001) was the youngest daughter of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and Elena of Montenegro. She was a sister of Umberto II of Italy and of Queen Giovanna of Bulgaria.

Maria Francesca
Maria as a child.
Born(1914-12-26)26 December 1914
Rome, Kingdom of Italy
Died7 December 2001(2001-12-07) (aged 86)
Mandelieu, France
SpousePrince Luigi of Bourbon-Parma
IssuePrince Guy
Prince Rémy
Princess Chantal
Prince Jean
Full name
Maria Francesca Anna Romana di Savoia
HouseSavoy
FatherVictor Emmanuel III of Italy
MotherElena of Montenegro
ReligionRoman Catholicism
Italian Royalty
House of Savoy
Victor Emmanuel II
Children
Marie Clothilde, Princess Napoléon
Umberto I
Amadeo I of Spain
Prince Oddone, Duke of Montferrat
Maria Pia, Queen of Portugal and the Algarves
Prince Carlo Alberto, Duke of Chablais
Prince Vittorio Emanuele
Prince Vittorio Emanuele, Count of Geneva
Grandchildren
Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta
Prince Vittorio Emanuele, Count of Turin
Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi
Prince Umberto, Count of Salemi
Great Grandchildren
Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta
Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta
Great Great Grandchildren
Princess Margherita, Dowager Archduchess of Austria-Este
Princess Maria Cristina
Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta
Great Great Great Grandchildren
Princess Bianca
Prince Aimone, Duke of Apulia
Princess Mafalda
Great Great Great Grandchildren
Umberto, Prince of Piedmont
Prince Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi
Princess Isabella
Umberto I
Children
Victor Emmanuel III
Victor Emmanuel III
Children
Princess Yolanda, Countess of Bergolo
Princess Mafalda, Landgravine of Hesse
Umberto II
Giovanna, Tsaritsa of Bulgaria
Maria Francesca, Princess Luigi of Bourbon-Parma
Umberto II
Children
Maria Pia, Princess Michel of Bourbon-Parma
Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples
Princess Maria Gabriella
Princess Maria Beatrice
Grandchildren
Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice
Great Grandchildren
Princess Vittoria
Princess Luisa

Marriage and issue

She was born in Rome as the fifth and youngest child of her parents. She had three elder sisters, Yolanda, Giovanna, Mafalda, and a brother, Umberto. In her birthplace, on 23 January 1939, Maria married Prince Luigi of Bourbon-Parma (5 December 1899 - 4 December 1967), a younger son of Robert I, Duke of Parma, and Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal.[1] Her husband was a brother of Zita, Empress of Austria,[1] among many others.

The couple moved to Cannes, where all four of their children were born.[2] Maria was interned with her husband and two elder children by the Nazis during World War II.[2] After the war in Italy for a while,[2] she returned to France where they took up permanent residence in Mandelieu, near Cannes after her husbands death.[1]

They had four children:[1]

  • Prince Guy of Bourbon-Parma (7 August 1940, Cannes – 10 March 1991, Paris) married Brigitte Peu-Duvallon on 11 November 1964; divorced 17 September 1981, with issue.
  • Prince Rémy of Bourbon-Parma (born 14 July 1942, Cannes) married firstly Laurence Dufresne d'Arganchy 10 February 1973;[1] divorced 1983, with issue. He wed secondly Elisabeth Tardif 5 July 2003.
  • Princess Chantal of Bourbon-Parma (born 24 November 1946, Cannes) married firstly Panayotis Skinas on 1 July 1977; divorced 1987, with issue. She wed secondly Francois-Henri Georges 24 September 1988
  • Prince Jean of Bourbon-Parma (born 15 October 1961, Cannes) married Virginia Roatta 26 March 1988,[2] with issue. Jean is the youngest grandchild of Robert I, Duke of Parma.

Title, styles and honours

Titles and styles

  • 26 December 1914 – 23 January 1939: Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Francesca of Savoy
  • 23 January 1939 - 7 December 2001: Her Royal Highness Princess Luigi of Bourbon-Parma

Honours

Ancestry

References

  1. Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser XII. "Haus Bourbon". C.A. Starke Verlag, 1984, p. 19. (German).
  2. de Badts de Cugnac, Chantal. Coutant de Saisseval, Guy. Nouvelle Imprimerie Laballery. Paris. 2002. pp. 597-598, 619. (French) ISBN 2-9507974-3-1
  3. genmarenostrum.com, page with the Italian Royal family members' honours
  4. Corbisimages.com, Maria Francesca wearing the Grand Cordon badge of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus and also the Order of the Starry Cross
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