Tomorrow marks the 100th Anniversary of the Death of Princess Maria Letizia Bonaparte, Duchess of Aosta, who passed away in 1926! The Bonaparte Princess who married her uncle, the Duke of Aosta and a former King of Spain, we are featuring her magnificent Diamond Coronet!
But first, let’s learn about the Duchess! The daughter of Prince Napoléon-Jérôme Bonaparte, Head of the House of Bonaparte between 1879 and 1891, and Princess Maria Clotilde of Savoy, the daughter of the first King of Italy, Princess Maria Letizia Bonaparte grew up between Paris and Italy, as well as on an Estate near Lake Geneva until 1979, afterwards mainly residing with her mother at the Castle of Moncalieri near Turin. Initially thought to be marrying her cousin, Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Princess Maria Letizia instead married his father, and her maternal uncle, the Duke of Aosta, who had been the King of Spain between 1870 and 1873. Despite a great scandal and a Papal Dispensation, the Duke of Aosta and Princess Maria Letizia married in Turin in 1888, and the couple had one son, Prince Umberto, Count of Salemi, before his death less than two years later. Princess Maria Letizia and Prince Umberto lived away from the Italian Court on a small allowance, and the Princess intervened when Prince Umberto was detained for various misdemeanours, later serving with distinction during the First World War but passing away shortly afterwards due to the Spanish Flu. Princess Maria Letizia maintained an open and scandalous relationship with Norberto Fischer, a military man twenty years her junior, until she passed away 100 years ago.
When Princess Maria Letizia Bonaparte married her uncle, the Duke of Aosta, the groom gave her this spectacular Diamond Coronet composed of 1217 Diamonds and topped with Diamond Trefoils which could be replaced by pear shaped Pearls, created by the Italian Court Jeweller Musy.
Princess Maria Letizia, the Duchess of Aosta wore the magnificent Diamond Coronet for a portrait taken soon after her lavish wedding celebrations in Turin in 1888.
The Diamond Coronet was also worn by the now Dowager Duchess of Aosta for an Official Portrait taken around a decade later.
Princess Maria Letizia notably wore the Diamond Coronet for a portrait by the Italian realist painter Giacomo Grosso in 1904, which is housed in the permanent collection of the Museo Revoltella in Trieste. The fate of the Tiara is unknown, but it was likely inherited by the Princess’ lover, her sole heir, after her passing 100 years ago!
