Emanuele Filiberto: Carrying the Savoia name was not easy, 'earlier' for King Carlo

Emanuele Filiberto, the grandson of Italy's last monarchic family, the Savoia, candidly recounted the difficulties of the past and the anger towards his family in Alessandro Cattelan's podcast. He confessed that being a Savoia in society was not easy, and during the times when he mingled with the public, especially in shows like 'Ballando con le Stelle', he was whistled at by the audience for a long time. The interview recalled that members of the Savoia family were not even allowed to set foot on Italian soil until 2002, and Emanuele Filiberto expressed the deep pain and sense of exclusion caused by these historical bans.

The 57-year-old prince also delved into discussions regarding the current political system, drawing parallels that criticize the Presidency system while highlighting nostalgia for monarchy in Italy. Filiberto pointed out that Italy replaced the monarch with a President, but this office holds the same powers as the king, arguing that the only difference is that the President is elected by parties, leading to political bargaining. Stating that 14% of the people would vote 'yes' for a monarchy in a referendum, the prince noted that he believes monarchy still retains its meaning due to the lack of a clear political divide and its potential to unite the nation under a higher identity.

Emanuele Filiberto suggested that a ruler should be a reference point and protective figure for the nation, just like a father, emphasizing that such traditional values act as a neutral and aggregating force in a polarized world. He stressed that a ruler should not be right-wing, left-wing, Christian, or Muslim, but rather a unifying element representing society's values. He explained that he observes even young people are showing increasing interest in these ancient values and connections, and thinks this context can be a good antidote to individualism in modern society.

The interesting part of the interview was his comments about England's King Charles III and the legendary pop star Michael Jackson. He expressed that he personally feels close and affectionate towards King Carlo (Charles), but noted that as the new occupant of the British throne, he hasn't achieved anything great or significant yet since he is new to the throne, though he hopes he will evolve over time. However, he jokingly but clearly emphasized that the place of the only person referred to by the royal nickname 'The King' in his heart belongs to Michael Jackson.

In conclusion, Emanuele Filiberto stated that perceptions have changed significantly since his return to Italy, observing that past hostility has been replaced by curiosity and compassion, and the public views him and his traditions with more warmth. The prince, who was a guest on the 'Supernova' podcast, both told his personal story and sparked an agenda by discussing Italian political history and the theoretical benefits of monarchy. These candid remarks, comparing Jackson, whom he views as the 'King' of pop culture, with real monarchy, found wide resonance in the Italian press.