top of page

Teenage Instagram Star Could be Next Queen of Italy

But only if the Italians decide to restore their monarchy.

A teenage girl living in Paris who has 40,000 followers on Instagram has been anointed the heir to the Italian monarchy - even though the crown has been defunct since the end of the Second World War.


Vittoria di Savoia, a 17-year-old schoolgirl, represents the fresh-faced younger generation of the House of Savoy, an ancient royal lineage which provided Italy’s kings from unification in the 19th century to the abolishing of the monarchy in 1946.


Despite being sent into exile for decades, the family has never quite given up hope that they might one day be reinstated to the throne - despite the fact that there is currently scant support for such a restoration.


Now Prince Vittorio Emanuele, the son of Italy’s last king, has changed an ancient custom known as the Salic Law, which had stipulated that the royal line could only pass to male heirs. It means that Vittoria, his grand-daughter, is now second in line after her father Prince Emanuele Filiberto.


Prince Emanuele Filiberto says that reforming the succession law is simply keeping up with the times, a way of recognising gender equality.


“It’s true that the monarchy does not exist in Italy anymore, but never say never. Look at what happened in Spain, when the king was restored after the Franco dictatorship. You never know,” he told The Telegraph from his home in Monte Carlo.

bottom of page