Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy
| Princess Maria Gabriella | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Maria Gabriella of Savoy in 1960 | |||||
| Born | 24 February 1940 Naples, Kingdom of Italy | ||||
| Spouse |
Robert Zellinger de Balkany
(m. 1969; div. 1990) | ||||
| Issue | Marie Elizabeth Zellinger de Balkany | ||||
| |||||
| House | Savoy | ||||
| Father | Umberto II of Italy | ||||
| Mother | Marie-José of Belgium | ||||
Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy (Maria Gabriella Giuseppa Aldegonda Adelaide Ludovica Felicita Gennara; born 24 February 1940) is the middle daughter of Italy's last king,
Life
Maria Gabriella di Savoia was the third child of the Prince and Princess of Piedmont, born in
Maria Gabriella is a first cousin of the late
Educated in Switzerland, Maria Gabriella also took courses at a school associated with the Louvre in Paris.[2] After her father's death, and with her brother's approval, she launched the King Umberto II Foundation in Lausanne, dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of the House of Savoy.[2] She participated in numerous cultural presentations and organised an exhibit in Albertville during the 1992 Olympics.[2] At the beginning of the 21st century she co-authored a number of books, mostly with Stefano Papi.
Suggested marriage to the Shah of Iran
In the 1950s, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, then divorced from his second wife, indicated his interest in marrying Princess Maria Gabriella. Pope John XXIII reportedly vetoed the suggestion. In an editorial about the rumors surrounding the marriage of "a Muslim sovereign and a Catholic princess", the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, wrote that the match constituted "a grave danger."[3]
Marriage and child
She married Robert Zellinger de Balkany (4 August 1931 in
- Marie Elisabeth Zellinger de Balkany (born 2 March 1972),[2] married Olivier Janssens (born 1966) on 31 October 2002 and has four children.[citation needed]
Published works
- Casa Savoia. Diario di una monarchia (2001, Mondadori Electa), co-written with Romano Brancalini.
- Gioielli di Casa Savoia (2002, Mondadori Electa), co-written with Stefano Papi.
- Vita di corte in casa Savoia (2005, Mondadori Electa), co-written with Stefano Papi. ISBN 978-8837024130
- Jewellery of the House of Savoy (2007, Mondadori Electa), co-written with Stefano Papi. ISBN 978-8837052409(expanded English edition of Gioielli di Casa Savoia)
Ancestry
| Ancestors of Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References
- ^ ISBN 0-85011-023-8
- ^ ISBN 2-9507974-3-1
- ^ Paul Hofmann, "Pope Bans Marriage of Princess to Shah", The New York Times, 24 February 1959, p. 1.
