Villa Italia: King Umberto II's Home in Exile

When he was deposed following the referendum in May 1946, Umberto moved to Cascais on the Portuguese Riviera. Since the reign of King Louis I of Portugal, this seaside town has been attracting members of Portugal's aristocracy, who established a summer colony in this area there. Cascais' popularity, as well as that of the neighboring towns of Oeras and Sintra, further heightened during World War II and the Post-War period, since many heads of European royal houses and deposed monarchs, including King Umberto, sought solace.

 

After leaving Italy and settling in Cascais, he resided in the current Villa D’Este. He spent eleven years in this residence from 1950 until 1961. A group of loyal monarchists pooled resources and built a definitive home for the king, next to Villa D’Este. Umberto II himself  named this as Villa Itália.

Watch: Life in Cascais - King Umberto II and the Royal Family in exile For decades the King Umberto II's house has hosted the most lavish parties overlooking a Cascais stunning view. The King quickly entrenched himself in the Riviera's luxury circuit. He was frequently invited on parties and his presence was greatly sought on social gatherings and other events. Such as all the other “blue blood” or wealthy exiles, Umberto II, who attended mass every day, took great advantage of the hotel and leisure industry on the Coastline, which enjoyed a very strong boom at the time. Estoril and Cascais became fashionable.

King Umberto II was also one of the most visible foreign residents to the area’s inhabitants, walking on the beach and habitually taking part in a series of charity initiatives. One of his first acts in Portugal was to visit the “O Século” seaside home, in S. Pedro do Estoril, which housed refugee children, mainly Jewish.

The former king was eventually diagnosed with bone cancer and had to move to Geneva in Switzerland, where he died on March 18, 1983. After his death Villa Italia laid empty and deteriorated over. In 2004, it was restored and converted into a hotel. 

Watch: Summer of 1963 at Villa Italian