Aimone of Savoy-Aosta, 6th Duke of Aosta (Aimone Umberto Emanuele Filiberto Luigi Amedeo Elena Maria Fiorenzo di Savoia-Aosta; born 13 October 1967) is an Italian businessman and one of two claimants to be head of the House of Savoy. Since November 2019, he has served as the Ambassador of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to Russia.[1][2]
| Aimone | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke of Aosta Duke of Savoy (disputed) | |||||
 Aimone in 2020 | |||||
| Head of the House of Savoy (disputed) | |||||
| Tenure | 1 June 2021 – present | ||||
| Predecessor | Prince Amedeo | ||||
| Heir apparent | Prince Umberto | ||||
| Born | 13 October 1967 Florence, Italy | ||||
| Spouse | |||||
| Issue | Prince Umberto Prince Amedeo Princess Isabella | ||||
| |||||
| House | Savoy | ||||
| Father | Prince Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta | ||||
| Mother | Princess Claude of Orléans | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism | ||||
Education and career
editAimone was born in Florence, the second child and only son of Prince Amedeo of Savoy, Duke of Aosta and his first wife, Princess Claude of Orléans.[3] Aimone attended the Francesco Morosini Naval Military School and Bocconi University.[4][5] After he completed his education, Aimone worked at JPMorgan Chase in the United Kingdom. He also served a period in the Italian Navy's special forces (see Comando Raggruppamento Subacquei e Incursori Teseo Tesei).[4]
Beginning in 2000, Aimone was the president of Pirelli operations in Russia.[4][6][7][8] Since 2012, he has also served as CEO of Pirelli Tyre's Nordic division.[9] His contribution to deepening bilateral economic relations between Italy and Russia has been recognized by the authorities of both countries, by the appointment to the Order of Friendship of Russia and the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.[10]
Marriage and children
editAimone's engagement to Princess Olga of Greece, daughter of Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark, was announced in May 2005. Olga and Aimone are second cousins; both being great-grandchildren of the French pretender Prince Jean, Duke of Guise. They are also second cousins once-removed, as George I of Greece is Olga's patrilineal great-grandfather and Aimone's great-great-grandfather. Several falsely reported wedding dates marked what was to become a three-year engagement.[11][12][13] The couple finally wed on 16 September 2008 at the Italian embassy in Moscow, the city in which Aimone is employed. Their religious marriage took place on 27 September 2008 in Patmos.[14][15][16]
Aimone and Olga have three children, two sons and one daughter:[4]
- Prince Umberto of Savoy-Aosta, born on 7 March 2009 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.[17][18] On 9 March 2009, Prince Umberto was granted the title Prince of Piedmont by his paternal grandfather. Upon his grandfather's death, he became heir apparent to the Dukedom.
- Prince Amedeo Michele of Savoy-Aosta, born on 24 May 2011 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. A day after his birth Amedeo was granted the title Duke of the Abruzzi by his paternal grandfather.[19]
- Princess Isabella Vita Marina of Savoy-Aosta, born on 14 December 2012 in Paris, France.[20] She was named in honour of Princess Isabelle of Orléans.
The boys are the only surviving young male members of the House of Savoy.
Dynastic issues
editFrom birth, Aimone was known as Duke of Apulia (duca delle Puglie).
On 7 July 2006, Aimone's father, Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, claimed the headship of the House of Savoy and the title Duke of Savoy, in opposition to his cousin Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples.[6][21] Amedeo defined Aimone as Duke of Aosta "in pectore".[22] Amadeo died in 2021. On 3 February 2024, Vittorio Emanuele died, leaving his son Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy with the claim to the headship in opposition to Aimone.
Supporters of Aimone point to errors in the way that the opposing branch have observed the laws of their House. Under Savoy House law, if one marries without the permission of the King, one's title would be lost. In this case, Vittorio Emanuele married a commoner, which was against the explicit will of the King Umberto II. In practice, this would mean that unlike Amadeo, Vittorio Emanuele was a private citizen and not a Prince after that marriage.[citation needed]
Ancestors
edit| Ancestors of Aimone di Savoia Aosta (born 1967) |
|---|
References
edit- ^ "Message of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. 22 November 2019.
- ^ "Ambassador Order of Malta to Russian Federation Presents Letters of Credence". orderofmalta.int. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser XV. "Haus Italien". C.A. Starke Verlag, 1997, pp. 36–39. (German). ISBN 9783798008144.
- ^ a b c d Real Casa Savoia, Profile Official: S.A.R. Principe Aimone di Savoia Aosta. (Italian). Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ Aimone di Savoia: «La mia vita di Savoia, parente degli zar nella Russia di Putin» Corriere della Sera, 1 April 2019
- ^ a b Il Giornale. Allegra, Angelo. 27 April 2015. Ho voluto i Savoia in Italia e mio cugino me le ha suonate. (Italian). Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ "Aimone di Savoia-Aosta: «Per ora non alimento la polemica». Intanto è guerra di carte tra i Savoia" Corriere della Sera, 17 January 2020
- ^ Warburton Simon (March 2016) "Pirelli Tyre Russia maintains staff despite crisis" Just Auto
- ^ "Pirelli strengthens its presence in Nordic markets". 30 June 2012.
- ^ "Cerimonia di consegna dell'Onorificenza ad Aimone di Savoia Aosta (Mosca, 13 giugno)". Italian embassy in Moscow. 14 June 2019.
- ^ Meylan, Vincent (31 August 2005). "Le Plus Royal". Point de Vue (in French): 21.
- ^ "Ils Sont Ensemble". Point de Vue (in French). 20 December 2006.
- ^ (in French) Le gotha, le site officiel de Stéphane Bern
- ^ Unione Monarchica Italiana Archived 2 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Hubert Jedin, Konrad Repgen (1980). "The Code and Development of Canon Law to 1974". History of the Church: Volume X The Church in the Modern Age. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 171. ISBN 978-0-86012-090-2.
- ^ CronacaQui (26 September 2008)[permanent dead link]
- ^ (in Italian) Official announcement from the site of the Royal House of Savoy.
- ^ (in Italian)monarchia.it Archived 2 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Comunicato Stampa del 25 maggio 2011
- ^ "U.m.i. - Isabella: Una Nuova Principessa in Casa Savoia". Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
- ^ "The Telegraph".
- ^ "Detronizzato Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia in favore del cugino" [Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy dethroned in favor of his cousin]. la Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno. 7 July 2006. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
