Glitter in Portugal again in 1967 but a gathering of mostly non-reigning Royal Families, as HRH Infanta María del Pilar, eldest child of TRH The Count and Countess of Paris, married the aristocrat Don Luís Gomez-Acebo. In this remarkable picture, from left: partially hidden by her mother, HRH Infanta María Cristina of Spain, Countess Marone, wears the magnificent Cartier diamond and pearl tiara that she later sold to her nephew, King Juan Carlos; HM Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain wearing the Ansorena fleurs-de-lys tiara, created for her on the occasion of her wedding to King Alfonso XIII of Spain; HM Queen Giovanna of the Bulgarians, born Princess of Italy and widow of King Boris III of the Bulgarians, wears what seems to be the Italian Mellerio laurel tiara; HM King Umberto II of Italy; and HRH The Countess of Barcelona, wearing the splendid diamond and pearl tiara given to her by King Alfonso XIII on the occasion of her wedding to his son.

Another impressive royal gathering in Portugal in 1967. The transfer of the remains of King D. Miguel I to Portugal saw impressive scenes such as this one, in which HIM Empress Zita of Austriahungary is seen between HM King Simeon of the Bulgarians and HM King Umberto II of Italy. Behind them, TRH The Count and Countess of Barcelona, who wears a very Spanish mantilla. On the background, between the Count of Barcelona and his wife, the present Duke of Braganza, then HRH The Prince of Beira.

King Umberto II is pictured in 1970 with his eldest daughter, Princess Maria Pia, in front of Vila Savoia in Estoril. Princess Maria Pia had, by then, divorced Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia.

In 1976, King Umberto and Queen Maria José are pictured during a gala in Paris. The King’s health was, by then, failing dramatically but he remained a constant presence in the European social life.

Less than one year before his death, HM King Umberto II meets His Holiness Pope John Paul II during his first visit to Portugal as Pontiff. The Italian King was received in a special audience by the Pope and upon entering the room where the Pontiff stood, he kneeled, being brought up immediately by the Pope. The changes in Vatican protocol since the fall of the Italian monarchy had been dramatic. The two men then exchanged a vigorous compliment, before the start of the long, private audience at the official residence of His Eminence The Patriarch of Lisbon.

The funeral of HM King Umberto II of Italy at the Abbey of Hautecombe, in France, resting place of many members of the Savoy Royal Family. The King had died on the 18th March 1983 in Geneva, Switzerland. The attitude of the Italian Government was of apparent indifference, but the silence over the death of the last King of Italy revealed the continuous difficulty of the Republic to even mention the name of Royal Family.

Inside the Abbey, the Royal Family and royals guests mourn King Umberto. From left: HRH The Princess of Naples, born Marina Ricolfi Doria, whom the Prince of Naples had married in Teheran, in 1971; HRH Princess Maria Gabriella of Italy; HRH The Prince of Naples, new Head of the Italian Royal Family; HRH Princess Maria Pia of Italy; HRH The Prince of Venice, son of the Prince and Princess of Naples; HM King Simeon II of the Bulgarians; HM Queen Maria José of Italy and, behind her, partially hidden, HM King Constantine II of the Hellenes.

A beautiful picture of HM Queen Maria José of Italy in 1986, three years after the death of King Umberto and 15 years before her own death, on the 27th January 2001 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Queen was also buried at Hautecombe Abbey, after a ceremony attended by HM The King of Spain, TM The King and Queen of the Belgians, TRH Grand-Duke Jean and Grand-Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg, among other members of Royal Families.