Celtic Historian Pat Woods has discovered that there were actually not one but TWO Kings in Lisbon after the 1967 European Cup Final between Celtic and Inter Milan. We all know about Cesar but today Pat reveals the identity of a second King who actually stood beside Billy McNeill as he lifted the trophy…
There were TWO kings in the Estadio Nacional on the greatest day in Celtic’s history. There was the club captain – “There’s only one King Billy, that’s McNeill”, the chant in his honour which boomed out from the terracings – and Umberto II, the last king of Italy.
The latter (centre of photograph, above), known as the ‘May King’, having been on the throne for only 34 days (9 May to 12 June 1946) as a result of a referendum on the future of a monarchy tarnished by its dealings with Mussolini. The majority vote for a republic saw Umberto depart for exile in Portugal, where he lived in Cascais, a dozen miles from the Estadio Nacional.
Such was the lingering strength of feeling that no representative of the Italian Government turned up for his funeral in 1983.
Who invited him to the 1967 European Cup Final and why remains a mystery. Oddly, Americo Tomas (President of Portugal, on left of photo, standing beside Umberto) – the man who presented the trophy to Billy McNeill – would also experience exile.
The ‘Carnation Revolution’ of April 1974, which swept away half a century of authoritarian rule in the country, resulted in Tomas being exiled to Brazil, a banishment that lasted six years.
TOP HALF OF FRONT PAGE OF ‘STADIO'( A MILAN – BASED SPORTS DAILY), MAY 26TH 1967. ‘ INTER TAKE EARLY LEAD THEN SHUT UP SHOP [BUT] CELTIC RECOVER AND WIN 2 – 1’ ‘ A CUP FOR SCOTLAND ‘(MAIN HEADLINE)…
‘ L’ EX RE D’ITALIA UMBERTO’ (UMBERTO II, THE LAST KING OF ITALY) ; ARTEMIO FRANCHI, PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION ; AMERICO THOMAS, PRESIDENT OF PORTUGAL , THE MAN WHO PRESENTED THE EUROPEAN CUP TO BILLY McNEILL.
Pat Woods
Meanwhile the descendants of Italy’s last king have been in the news this week as they attempt to reclaim Crown Jewels…
Items have been in storage since 1946, when Umberto II was banished as Italians voted to abolish monarchy, The Guardian earlier this week took up the story:
Descendants of the last king of Italy have made their first formal request to reclaim the crown jewels, which for almost 76 years have been stashed in a treasure chest in a safety deposit box at the Bank of Italy amid a long-running mystery over their ownership.
The bank took delivery of the jewels, comprising more than 6,000 diamonds and 2,000 pearls mounted on brooches and necklaces worn by various queens and princesses, on 5 June 1946, three days after Italians voted to abolish the monarchy and nine days before King Umberto II, who ruled for just 34 days, was banished into exile along with his male heirs.
Umberto II had tasked Falcone Lucifero, the minister of the Royal House, to bring the jewels to Luigi Einaudi, the then governor of Bank of Italy who later became president, for safekeeping.
The jewels are said to have been the only part of the royal estate that were not confiscated by the Italian state after the monarchy was scrapped, an element that might help the descendants of the House of Savoy, including Umberto II’s son, Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia, and three daughters, Maria Gabriella, Maria Pia and Maria Beatrice, win back possession.
The family is also hoping that a cryptic note delivered alongside the treasure chest, which said the “precious” crown jewels must be “entrusted to the custody of the central cashier” and “kept at the disposal of those who have right”, will help determine that the jewels belong to them and not the state.
Sergio Orlandi, the family’s lawyer, told the Corriere della Sera newpaper: “The Savoy family will get the jewels back.”
The first “mediation meeting” between Orlandi and representatives of the Bank of Italy and the Italian government to discuss the family’s claim is taking place on Tuesday. If the parties fail to reach a solution, the family will proceed with suing the state in their attempt to repossess the jewels, according to Corriere. An informal request was already rejected by the Bank of Italy in November. “The [request for]return cannot be accepted, taking into account the responsibilities of the depositary,” lawyers for the bank reportedly said.
Umberto 11 might have been the “Last King Of Italy” but Cesar was crowned King of the whole of Europe.
Umberto 11 was the son of “The King Of Naples” – one Victor Emmanuel 111. But there was only one Victor in Lisbon and he was called Billy McNeill and his pride of “Lions”. Might I suggest that Umberto and his family employ Michael Corleone in there attempts to retrieve their claim to their lost possessions. We all know where the real jewels rest, in the heated temperature of the Celtic trophy cabinets and they’re in the process of being added to.
Lucifero- the name of the lawyer representing the House of Savoy. Say no more.