Friday, October 13, 2023

Prince Umberto of Italy in 1944


HRH Prince Umberto conferring with officers over a map table at an Italian camp during his visit to the Italian Corps of Liberation, Sparanise, Italy, 31 May 1944. The picture was taken by Captain A.R. Tanner, British War Office official photographer. Umberto was the only son among the five children of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and Elena of Montenegro. As heir apparent to the throne, he received a customary military education and pursued a military career afterwards. He commanded an army group during the brief Italian invasion of France shortly before French capitulation. In 1942, he was promoted to Marshal of Italy but was otherwise inactive as an army commander during much of the Second World War. Umberto turned against the war following Italian defeats at Stalingrad and El Alamein, and tacitly supported the ouster of Benito Mussolini. In 1944, Victor Emmanuel, compromised by his association with Italian fascism and desperate to repair the monarchy's image, transferred most of his powers to Umberto. He transferred his remaining powers to Umberto later in 1944 and named him Lieutenant General (Luogotenente) of the Realm; Victor Emmanuel retained the title of King.


Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umberto_II_of_Italy
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205188903

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