Meet Prince Emanuele Filiberto: the exiled royal with a nine-figure net worth who’s now dating a former Miss Mexico
Prince Emanuele Filiberto is the current (disputed) head of the House of Savoy and could be the King of Italy right now, following the death of his father last year.
But despite his claim to the throne, the Italian prince was actually forced to grow up in exile from his homeland following Italy’s abolition of its monarchy in 1946. The prince has, however, forged quite the life for himself, having amassed a nine-figure net worth, and he’s currently believed to be dating a Miss Mexico following his split from his previous wife, a French actress.
© WireImageHere’s all you need to know about the Italian royal…
Early life
Emanuele’s grandfather, King Umberto, was the last King of Italy, with his reign lasting just over a month. Emanuele’s father, Prince Vittorio, claimed to be the head of the House of Savoy following his father’s death as the only male issue; however, this was disputed by his third cousin, Prince Amadeo.
Despite his claim to the Italian throne, Prince Emanuele was actually born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland. At the time of his birth in 1972, male issue of the House of Savoy were banned from entering Italy. The country abolished its monarchy in 1946 following a constitutional referendum.
© Getty ImagesSpeaking of his memories growing up to Corriere della Sera, Emanuele said: “I was 11 when my grandfather died in Cascais. I went to visit him often, he passed on to me his love for Italy, we talked while taking long walks by the ocean. Then, we went to a small fish shop to buy percebes, a type of seafood that we loved so much.”
During his studies, he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Geneva.
Return to Italy
When laws were changed in 2002, Emanuele visited the country alongside his family. During their three-day visit, the royal met with the then Pope, John Paul II.
Emanuele has visited his home country on several occasions, previously starring in an advertisement for an olive company and winning the fifth series of Ballando con le stelle, Italy’s version of Strictly Come Dancing.
© WireImageSpeaking after his win, the royal said: “The victory is above all for the Italians who discovered me.”
However, the 52-year-old currently has no plans to permanently live in his homeland due to his previous exile and Italy’s refusal to hand back certain family jewels.
© Getty Images for UCLA Jonsson Ca“There is a difference between those acquired by the Savoys with their own money or marriages and others, like the Iron Crown, which we would not dream of asking for,” he explained to Corriere della Sera. “If necessary, we will turn to the European Court of Human Rights.“
He added: “I bought a house in Umbria, but I will return to be a resident only when Italy repeals the thirteenth transitional rule and gives me back my personal assets.”
Net worth
Despite not being a monarch, Emanuele has amassed quite a private fortune. Between 1993 and 2005, he worked as a hedge fund manager. His personal hedge fund, the Altin Fund, became the first hedge fund company to be floated on the Zurich Exchange.
While some of his wealth will have come from the House of Savoy, Emanuele is quite the savvy businessman, owning a culinary empire in the United States, fittingly known as the Prince of Venice.
© Getty ImagesThe business initially started in Los Angeles with just one food truck; however, now it has its own premises in the city. It specialises in handmade pasta and Roman pizzas.
10 richest royals
© Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images1. Vajiralongkorn: $30 billion-$70 billion (net worth)
Vajiralongkorn is the tenth monarch of Thailand and has reigned as King since 2016.
2. Hassanal Bolkiah: $28 billion-$20 billion
He is one of the few remaining absolute monarchs left in the world and is the Sultan and the Prime Minister of Brunei. Absolute monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the sovereign is the sole source of political power, unconstrained by constitutions, legislatures or other checks on their authority.
3. Salman of Saudi Arabia: $18 billion
Salman has been King of Saudi Arabia since 2015 and is one of the Sudairi seven – a commonly used name for a powerful alliance of seven brothers within the Saudi royal family.
4. Mohammed VI of Morocco: $8.2 billion — $2.1 billion
Mohammed has been King of Morocco since 1999 and owns several businesses across economic states.
5. Hans-Adam II: $7.2 billion — $3.5 billion
He has been the Prince of Liechtenstein since 1989 and his wealth derives from the royal family’s private bank, LGT Group.
6. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum: $4 billion
He is the current ruler of Dubai and serves as vice-president and prime minister of UAE.
7. Grand Duke Henri: $4 billion
The Grand Duke of Luxembourg has reigned since 2000 however, he is soon set to abdicate in October 2025 in favour of his eldest son, Guillaume.
8. Juan Carlos I: $2.3 billion — $2 billion
Juan Carlos was the King of Spain from 1975 till his abdication in 2014. Then in 2020, he went into self-imposed exile after some damaging financial allegations.
9. Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani: $2.1 billion — $1.2 billion
He is the Emir of Qatar, reigning since 2013. Tamim rules an authoritarian regime, meaning citizens of Qatar have limited political and civil rights.
10. Prince Albert II: $1.0 billion
Albert has been Prince of Monaco, reigning since 2005.
Food isn’t the royal’s only business interest. He is the CEO of video game company RoyaLand and also owns production company AristoCrazy and fashion brand PrinceTees. He is also the founder of the Emanuele Filiberto Charity Fund Foundation, a charitable organisation that assists non-profits in health, education, and poverty.
Relationships and children
In 2003, Emanuele married French actress Clotilde Courau. Clotilde’s acting career had several highlights, and she won Best Actress at the 1991 European Film Awards for her role in Le petit criminel. She has also been nominated for several César Awards, the French equivalent of an Academy Award.
The pair had a quiet separation, splitting in 2021. The former couple are still amicable, with Emanuele explaining in an interview: “We get along very well, I respect her and love her, and she will always be the mother of my daughters, who are amazing.”
© FilmMagicDuring his relationship with Clotilde, Emanuele welcomed two daughters, Princess Vittoria and Princess Luisa.
Vittoria, 21, is his heir apparent, and she would be the first woman to head the House of Savoy in its history. The royal house dates back to 1003 and previously operated under agnatic primogeniture rules; these were changed by Emanuele’s late father in 2019.
© ShutterstockEmanuele has indicated that he will abdicate from being the disputed head of the House of Savoy, allowing his daughter to succeed him.
Speaking of his daughters, he commented: “For a father, daughters are always children. Luisa studies Law in Spain. Vittoria studies acting, art, history, and has her own company with which she launches and promotes young artists.
© Getty Images“It is right that she builds her life before thinking about how to be the heir to the title, even if she already accompanies me to various events. I imagine a tandem between her and her sister, and I also hope that they will be able to represent the House of Savoy with the children of my cousins Elisabetta, Elena, and Aimone.”
The 52-year-old has since entered into a relationship with Mexican model and businesswoman Adriana Abascal, 54. Adriana was named Miss Mexico in 1988 and has since launched the footwear brand Maison Skorpios.
