Vittorio Emanuele, the Italian prince and former heir to the throne, has died at the age of 86, as reported by the Italian publication corriere.it.
The prince passed away in a hospital after a period of illness. Emanuele was the son of Italy's last reigning monarchs, King Umberto II and Queen Marie José, serving as the heir apparent until the monarchy was abolished in a 1946 referendum.
Despite the end of the monarchy, Emanuele retained his princely title throughout his life.
Emanuele's life was not without controversy, drawing media attention on several occasions for scandals, including the fatal shooting of a German tourist in 1978.
The prince spent much of his life in Switzerland, where he pursued a career as a businessman. He was married twice, first to Marina Ridolfi Doria in 1971 and then to Clotilde Courau in 2003, fathering three children across both marriages.
