Umberto II of Italy in preparation on the abolition of the monarchy in 1946, Victor Emmanuel abdicated his throne in favour of Umberto in the hope his exit might bolster the monarchy. However, the referendum passed, Italy was declared a republic, and Umberto lived out the rest of his life in exile in Cascais, on the Portuguese Riviera. Umberto was born at the Castle of Racconigi in Piedmont. He was the third child, and the only son, of King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and his wife, Elena of Montenegro. As such, he became heir apparent upon his birth, since the Italian throne was
The king is dead, long live the king! term—here—of "dignitas") was transferred from the defunct sovereign to the new one. In the United Kingdom and other realms which permit female succession to the throne, the phrase can be altered to accommodate succession between monarchs of different sexes, e.g. "The King is dead, long live The Queen!", as happened in 1952, when King George VI died and was succeeded by his daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, or "The Queen is dead, long live The King!" as happened in 1901, when Queen Victoria was succeeded by her son, King Edward VII. "The King is dead, long live The King!" was last