the heirs of the royal family claim the crown jewels

In the basement of the Bank of Italy hides a treasure. The crown jewels were last seen worn by Italy’s newest queen 76 years ago. Since then, they have been under seal. The heirs of the royal family are attacking the Italian state to recover what they believe to be their property. In May 1946, the new King Umberto II appeared on the balcony of the Quirinal with his family in front of a crowd of Italians. But a few days later, a referendum gave victory to the Republicans. Accused collaboration with the Fascist regime, the Savoy family was forced into exile and then left without the crown jewels.

In essence, the Savoys left the jewels at the Bank of Italy with the expectation that they would one day return to power. The value of the jewels is between 50,000 and 70,000 dollars per carat according to a gemologist, or at least 350 million euros in total. The trial between the State and representatives of the Savoy family will begin on Wednesday June 22. The issue is whether the jewelry belongs to the family or to the state.