Marina, Princess of Naples

Princess Marina
Princess of Naples
Spouse Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy
Issue
Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice
Full name
Marina Ricolfi-Doria
House House of Savoy
Father René Ricolfi-Doria
Mother Iris Amalia Benvenuti
Born 12 February 1935 (1935-02-12) (age 77)
Geneva, Switzerland
Italian Royal Family

HRH The Prince of Naples
HRH The Princess of Naples

HRH Princess Maria Pia
HRH Princess Maria Gabriella
HRH Princess Maria Beatrice

Marina, Crown Princess of Italy, Princess of Naples (née Marina Ricolfi-Doria) (born 12 February 1935[1]) is a Swiss-born water skier who married to Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples. The titles of the Italian Royal Family are not recognized under the terms of the republican Constitution of Italy. However international precedent is that former holders of certain posts continue to hold their former title as a courtesy title in their lifetime.

Contents

Background

Marina Ricolfi-Doria is the daughter of René Italo Ricolfi-Doria (Cologny, 30 April 1901 – Geneva, 4 February 1970) and wife Iris Amalia Benvenuti (Pallanza, 14 January 1905 – Geneva, 10 September 2004), who owned a Swiss biscuit business. She has three sisters: Silvia, Nina and Alda and one brother Dominique.

Career

In 1955 Doria went to Florida and became a star attraction at the Florida amusement park Cypress Gardens. She was a world-renowned water ski champion winning world titles on three occasions to gain the titles of Women Tricks World Champion in 1955 and 1957, and Women Slalom World Champion in 1957. In addition, she won four consecutive overall titles in the European Championships from 1953 to 1956 and multiple national titles in her native Switzerland.[2] In 1991 Doria was selected as member in the International Water Ski Federation Hall of Fame.

Marriage

After an eleven-year engagement and against the wishes of the groom's father, her marriage to Vittorio Emanuele, then a banker and helicopter salesman, took place in Tehran on 7 October 1971, at the occasion of the 2,500 year celebration of Iran's monarchy. They have one son Emanuele Filiberto.

When her husband, Vittorio Emanuele, was allowed to return to his homeland in 2002, they moved from Switzerland to Italy. Her comment on the June 2006 arrest of her husband concerning corruption and abetting in prostitution was: “It is folly. Victor is a clean man.”[3]

Issue

  1. Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy (born 22 June 1972).

Ancestry

References

  1. ^ Former European Monarchs, Claimants, Consorts, and Heirs
  2. ^ Water skiing career
  3. ^ Quote

External links

Marina, Princess of Naples
Born: February 12 1935
Titles in pretence
Preceded by
Marie José of Belgium
— TITULAR —
Queen consort of Italy
March 18, 1983 –
Reason for succession failure:
Kingdom abolished in 1946
Incumbent
Heir:
Emanuele Filiberto