Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy Becomes Honorary Member of the CRC

HKRV

Oct 1

4 min read

On September 26 in Turin, HRH Emaneuele Filiberto di Savoia was presented with a diploma, the Votive Cross of the House of Nobility, and membership in the Croatian Royal Council association, thereby becoming the second member of a European royal family to join our largest Croatian cultural organization dedicated to preserving Croatia's thousand-year-old cultural heritage. On Saturday in Turin—an event preceding the grand General Assembly of the Ordini Dinastici della Real Casa di Savoia (The Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of Savoy)—delegates from the Croatian Royal Council (CRC) association met with HRH Emanuele Filiberto. On behalf of the organization, Count Ante Brešić pl Mikulić, Count Giuseppe pl Rizzani, and Borna Kuri presented HRH Emanuele Filiberto with a grand diploma and the Votive Cross of the CRC’s House of Nobility, a body that unites noble lineages with the aim of preserving family traditions and values. In addition to this, commemorative gifts were exchanged, including a replica of a recently discovered print depicting the estate of Prince Eugene of Savoy in Bilje (near OSijek), as well as a copy of archival material relating to his great-grandfather, King Victor Emmanuel III, and Croatia. Discussions on history and culture continued over fine Croatian wine. Other CRC members Lucija pl Abramović and Federico pl Bulfone Grančić also attended the meeting as well as members of AICODS, alongside Grand Chancellor Theo Niederhauser.

Those two days also featured interesting events alongside the aforementioned AICODS General Assembly. Saturday in Turin was marked by a formal charity gala dinner at the magnificent Reggia di Venaria palace, where funds were raised for the Regina Margherita Children's Hospital. Sunday began with a liturgy attended by the Orders of the House of Savoy at the Church of San Filippo Neri. Members of the CRC attended these grand events—which brought together guests from around the world—both as guests and as members of the aforementioned chivalric orders of the House of Savoy.

The House of Savoy and Croatia

Croatians have had connections with this noble Italian family for centuries through various members of the House of Savoy. The illustrious House of Savoy left its mark on Croatia by producing the renowned military commander and prince, Eugene of Savoy. His exploits—beginning in his youth when, at the age of twenty, he helped defend Vienna in 1683 brought him fame; he particularly distinguished himself in the battles for the liberation of Buda (1686), the Second Battle of Mohács (1687), the liberation of Belgrade (1688), and the Battle of Zenta (1697). Finally, there was his extraordinary thrust toward Sarajevo in 1697, during which he liberated vast areas of Croatian Slavonia and Bosnia, penetrating deep into enemy territory. In addition to numerous palaces across the Habsburg Monarchy of the time, he built a small hunting palace in Bilje, near Osijek. The House of Savoy also left its mark on modern Croatian history. It is well known that during the Second World War, at the request of a Croatian delegation, the Italian King Victor Emmanuel III appointed a member of the Savoy-Aosta branch, Aimone Tomislav II as the designated King of the newly established Independent State of Croatia (Kingdom of Croatia). Having renounced his Italian rights, Aimone took the regal name Tomislav II and is remembered in history for advocating the return of parts of Dalmatia to Croatia, fostering parliamentary life (the Sabor) and the independence of the army (the Domobranstvo) from ideology, and for being the last person in history to hold the title of King of Croatia. Today, the ties between Savoy and Croatia are maintained through numerous joint cultural, social, and humanitarian projects, as well as the desire for cooperation between Italy and Croatia and, in particular, the preservation of the Christian heritage and faith in both countries.

About HRH Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy

Born on June 22, 1972, with the full name Emanuele Filiberto Umberto Reza Ciro René Maria di Savoia, he is the grandson of the last Italian king, Umberto II. Following the death of his father, Vittorio Emanuele, in 2024, he succeeded as Head of the House of Savoy, thereby becoming the titular heir to the Italian throne and a prince, bearing the titles of Duke of Savoy and Prince of Piedmont and Venice. He is also related to other royal and princely families across Europe; he is a cousin of King Philippe of Belgium, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, Duke Franz of Bavaria, Crown Prince Nikola Petrović-Njegoš of Montenegro, King Simeon II of Bulgaria, and others. In 2003, he married Clotilde Courau, with whom he has two daughters, Princesses Vittoria and Luisa. Since 2024, he has headed the dynastic orders of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation, the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, the Civil Order of Savoy, and the Order of Merit of Savoy. He has also been awarded numerous foreign Catholic and state orders, including those of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Princely Order of Saint Charles. In addition to business ventures in the USA and Italy, he is known for his work in promoting culture and, in particular, philanthropy. Notably, a major humanitarian gala evening was organized in Turin under his auspices, raising funds and donations for a children's hospital in the city.

Croatian Royal Council