A claimant to the defunct throne of Italy has announced the formal end of his marriage.
Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice confirmed that he is divorcing his wife of almost 25 years, Clotilde.
The couple announced their separation in 2025 although they had gone their separate ways several years earlier, in 2021.
Now, the Prince of Venice has confirmed to an Italian newspaper that the two have begun divorce proceedings.
He told Oggi that the divorce process has started, formally ending a union that began in controversy.
Emanuele Filiberto, grandson of the last King of Italy, married French actress Clotilde Courau in 2003. The bride attracted debate for her left wing political views.
Their wedding took place at the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome on September 25 2003 and their first daughter, Princess Vittoria, was born on December 28 2003 in Switzerland. They had a second daughter, Princess Luisa, in 2006.
Clotilde Courau enjoyed a highly successful acting career before her marriage and was nominated three times for a Cesar award.
Following the announcement of their separation, Emanuele Filiberto has been seen publicly with a new partner, Adriana Abascal.
His claim to the throne of Italy comes from his father, Vittorio Emmanuele, who was the eldest son of the last King of Italy, Umberto II, and his wife, Queen Marie Jose. Through his grandmother, Emmanuele Filiberto, is related to the King of the Belgians and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg.
Umberto II and Marie Jose were King and Queen of Italy for just a month, inheriting the throne after the abdication of his father, Vittorio Emmanuele III, who abdicated on May 9 1946 in the hope that his more popular son might save the Italian monarchy. However, a referendum in June 1946 ended the Italian monarchy and Umberto went to live in exile in Portugal.
The 1948 Italian constitution forbade all male heirs to the now defunct throne living in Italy but that was revoked in 2002 and since then, members of the Savoy family, including Emmanuele Filiberto, have made their home there.
He is one of two claimants to the throne. The other is Amadeo, Duke of Aosta who claims that Emanuele Filiberto’s father forfeited his claim to the throne by marrying without the permission of Umberto II.
