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 | |||||
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Maria as a child. | |||||
Born | Rome, Kingdom of Italy | 26 December 1914||||
Died | 7 December 2001 86) Mandelieu, France | (aged||||
Spouse | Prince Luigi of Bourbon-Parma | ||||
Issue | Prince Guy Prince Rémy Princess Chantal Prince Jean | ||||
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House | Savoy | ||||
Father | Victor Emmanuel III of Italy | ||||
Mother | Elena of Montenegro | ||||
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Italian Royalty |
House of Savoy |
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Victor Emmanuel II of Italy |
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Umberto I of Italy |
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Victor Emmanuel III of Italy |
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Umberto II of Italy |
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 husband's 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
House of Savoy: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus[3][4] Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Dame Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, 3rd First Class[3] Austrian Imperial and Royal Family: Dame of the Order of the Starry Cross, 2nd Class[3][4]
Ancestry
Ancestors of Princess Maria Francesca of Savoy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References
- Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser XII. "Haus Bourbon". C.A. Starke Verlag, 1984, p. 19. (German).
- de Badts de Cugnac, Chantal. Coutant de Saisseval, Guy. Nouvelle Imprimerie Laballery. Paris. 2002. pp. 597-598, 619. (French) ISBN 2-9507974-3-1
- genmarenostrum.com, page with the Italian Royal family members' honours
- 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