Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy and that celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy. Ignored by Napolitano he ended up… in the arms of Berlusconi
It was March 17, 2011. Those who are experts in homeland history will immediately realize that this is the date of an important anniversary. Let's talk about 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy. A century and a half earlier, with Law n.4671 of 17 March 1861 of the Kingdom of Sardinia, a single article established with an extremely concise and peremptory formula that “King Vittorio Emanuele II assumes for himself and his successors the title of King of Italy”. Not a small thing.
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Impressive celebrations had already been planned on the occasion of previous anniversaries: in 1911 among other events the Vittoriano monument in Piazza Venezia was even inaugurated, the one that currently houses the Altare della Patria with the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In 1961 the International Labor Expo was held in Turin. In 2011, the President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano wanted things to be done in a big way. A mission group was set up at the Presidency of the Council for the promotion and implementation of hundreds of works and initiatives throughout the national territory. A year later, with law 23 November 2012, n. 222, which dictates rules on the acquisition of knowledge and skills in the field of «Citizenship and Constitution» and on the teaching of the Mameli anthem in schools, 17 March was entitled as «Day of National Unity, of the Constitution, of 'hymn and flag', with the aim of remembering and promoting the values of citizenship and consolidating national identity through civic remembrance and memory.
Fundamental anniversary, in many ways unifying, because it consolidates the historical roots of a country that experienced a profound division between the monarchical origins of the House of Savoy and the transition to the Republic following the referendum of 2 June 1946. And to celebrate these roots, the President of the Republic wanted to place a laurel wreath at the Altare della Patria in the same way as the other national holidays of 25 April, 2 June and 4 November, while a circular from the Presidency of the Council established the custom protocol to provide for depositions also on the tombs of the so-called Fathers of the Fatherland Camillo Benso di Cavour in Santena (To), Giuseppe Mazzini in Genoa, Giuseppe Garibaldi in Caprera and Vittorio Emanuele II at the Pantheon in Rome.
On March 17, 2011 the President Napolitano personally went to pay homage to the first king of Italy. At the Pantheon a red carpet traced the route that the Head of State would travel, preceded by a laurel wreath, to reach the tomb of Vittorio Emanuele II. Napolitano was accompanied by the Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and the President of the Committee of Guarantors for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy Giuliano Amato.
For the occasion and well in advance of the deposition time, even the heir of the House of Savoy Vittorio Emanuele with his wife Marina Doria and his son Emanuele Filiberto arrived at the Pantheon, unforeseen and unannounced. The diligent ceremonial denied them the catwalk on the red carpet and made them sit behind a tendiflex barrier, where they could still comfortably attend the ceremony.
The President of the Republic arrived at the agreed time, he solemnly placed the laurel wreath and, after a few seconds of contemplation and the customary arrangement of the tricolor ribbon, he walked backwards (on the red carpet) and left the Pantheon without even looking up at the heirs of the royal house. Those who expected a sensational handshake between the son of Umberto II and President Napolitano (among other things physically very similar to the king's father) were disappointed. The Prime Minister and Giuliano Amato set out to follow the Head of State, but Berlusconi couldn't hold back (he was stronger than him), he spread his arms and with a broad smile ran towards Vittorio Emanuele and hugged him warmly. Napolitano had already left. Giuliano Amato stopped, remained for a moment looking perplexed and embarrassed at the scene, then shaking his head and muttering a “No, I can't do it!”, exited the temple, leaving Berlusconi in the arms of the pretender to the throne.
End of the hypothetical meeting attempt, where each of the various protagonists interpreted their role in their own way.
* Enrico Passaroformer head of the State Ceremonial Office and for the Honors of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers which saw seven prime ministers parade at Palazzo Chigi, from Silvio Berlusconi to Mario Draghi, passing through Mario Monti, Enrico Letta, Matteo Renzi, Paolo Gentiloni, Giuseppe Conte.
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