Royal Guests and Relatives celebrated the Wedding of Crown Prince Umberto of Italy and Princess Marie-José of Belgium in the Palazzo del Quirinale in Rome on this day in 1930, 95 years ago, before an Audience with the Pope at the Vatican.

Crown Prince Umberto of Italy married Princess Marie-José of Belgium in a Roman Catholic Ceremony officiated by Cardinal Pietro Maffi, the Archbishop of Pisa in the Cappella Paolina (Pauline Chapel) of the Palazzo del Quirinale.

The nuptial cortège finally began to wind through the palace to the Cappella Paolina. At the altar, according to tradition, four princes of the House of Savoy held a veil, a symbol of purity and protection, over the bride and groom. By 11 am, Umberto and Marie-José were man and wife.

After the Ceremony, the Crown Prince and new Crown Princess were received by Pope Pius XI in the Vatican.

Later, Crown Prince Umberto and Crown Princess Princess Marie-José joined their parents, King Victor Emmanuel III and Queen Elena of Italy (in Queen Margherita’s Savoy Knot Tiara) and King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium (wearing her Cartier Bandeau Tiara), on the Balcony of the Palazzo del Quirinale before a Banquet.

The rest of the day was taken up with duties of protocol; appearances on the balcony, official visits, celebrations and applause. All very grand, but rather nerve-racking for Umberto and Marie-José, almost too tense and agitated even to touch the elaborate dishes at the banquet. At last, the couple were left alone together in the magnificent bridal chamber.

Princess Marie-José wore Queen Margherita’s Musy Tiara and gown designed by the groom.

Although Marie-José rose early in the morning, hours before the ceremony, she nearly arrived at the altar late. Defying superstitions, Umberto had come to see his bride before the wedding. With his attention to details and aesthetic perfectionism (traits Marie-José would sometimes find frustrating), he was infuriated to find that the sleeves on her gown had been sewed on the wrong way. Perhaps no one would have noticed, but the Prince insisted on remedying the situation (in the end, by having the sleeves completely removed, and replaced with long white gloves). It was ironic, as Marie-José had not even wanted to wear this gown, preferring simpler, more modern attire, but Umberto had insisted on the utmost grandeur. (He had, in fact, personally helped to design the dress, an elaborate creation of white and silver). “I look like a Madonna in procession!” the bride had muttered.

Alongside Queen Margherita’s Musy Tiara,  Crown Princess Princess Marie-José received a pair of spectacular Diamond Earrings, a Diamond Chain of Savoy Knots, and a pair of Savoy Knot Brooches from the groom.

Crown Prince Leopold and Crown Princess Astrid of Belgium (in her Nine Provinces Tiara).

Here they are waiting for my grandmother on her way to the altar with her father King Albert in the famous corridor of the Quirinal Palace known as la Manica Lunga that was 360 meters long (1080 feet) linking the family apartments to the State rooms. La Manica Lunga is the longest corridor of any building in the world to this very day, it was designed by Ferdinando Fuga.

Royal Guests were led by Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria, King Manuel II of Portugal, Queen Sophia of Greece, King Amanullah Khan and Queen Soraya of Afghanistan, the Duke of York (later King George VI), Crown Princess Antonia of Bavaria, Grand Duchess Militza of Russia, Princess Xenia of Montenegro, Prince Kyril and Princess Eudoxia of Bulgaria, Prince Paul and Princess Olga of Yugoslavia, and Infante Don Ferdinando of Spain.

As they passed by rows of (often dethroned) European royalty, King Albert I of Belgium, with his characteristic irony and humor, whispered in his daughter’s ear: “There’s alot of unemployment in our profession.”

The couple had four children; the Prince of Naples, Princess Maria Pia, Princess Maria Gabriella, and Princess Maria Beatrice, and reigned for a month in 1946, before a referendum abolished the monarchy. The King and Queen separated but remained married until his death in 1983, with Queen Marie-José passing away in 2001.

Cross of Laeken

Queen Margherita’s Musy Tiara