Prince Emanuele Filiberto, heir to Italy’s defunct House of Savoy, has suggested he could re-enter the political arena while appearing in public with Mexican model and businesswoman Adriana Abascal, a pairing that commentators say would bring an unmistakably glamorous profile to any campaign.
In interviews this week, the prince — sometimes styled the Prince of Venice — told Italian newspaper Il Giornale that his public service is being recognised and that "never say never" when asked about a possible future in politics. He has previously expressed ambitions for high office, telling The Times in 2008 that he hoped to win enough support "to reach the top of the Italian government." Abascal, a former beauty-pageant contestant turned international model and founder of luxury shoe brand Maison Skorpios, has accompanied him to events in recent months and posted images of the couple on her social accounts.
Abascal, 54, placed fifth in the Miss Universe contest in 1989 and went on to a career that included runway work for Chanel, Dior and Valentino and covers for magazines such as Vogue and Elle. She runs Maison Skorpios, a luxury shoe label, and divides her time among Paris, Los Angeles and other European cities. The prince, 53, and Abascal have been photographed together in Seville, Monaco, Paris, Corsica and Rome, and were pictured kissing after a fashion event in Seville in January. The couple also posed together for a Dior photoshoot in July and travelled to Moscow the same month, according to social-media posts.
Emanuele Filiberto is the grandson of Umberto II, the last king of Italy, and has long occupied a public role that blends media appearances, cultural initiatives and advocacy tied to the royal family’s legacy. The House of Savoy was deposed when Italy became a republic in 1946; its members were barred from the country for decades and allowed to return in 2002. Since then, the prince has cultivated a profile in television and charity work, winning Italy’s Dancing with the Stars in 2009 and founding the political movement Più Italia in 2020, an effort that attracted limited attention.
A recent poll published Sept. 2 showed 90 percent of Italians were aware of the prince and that 44 percent held a favourable view of him, with 15 percent saying he could change the country for the better. Speaking about the study to Il Giornale, Emanuele Filiberto said he was pleased and that his public-service work is being recognised, adding that a future return to politics was not out of the question.
The prince has in the past advocated for the restoration of a royal role in Italy. He has been open about personal struggles and controversies; he has acknowledged difficulties with drug use and said he overcame addiction with family support. He was married to French actress Clotilde Courau in 2003 and the couple have two daughters. This year he told media he has been separated from Courau for "four years." His elder daughter, Vittoria, 21, is next in line as head of the family.
Abascal’s personal history includes three marriages. She married Mexican media magnate Emilio Azcárraga Milmo in 1990; he died in 1997. She later married Spanish executive Juan Villalonga in 2000; they divorced in 2009 and share three children. Her most recent marriage to French entrepreneur Emmanuel Schreder ended in separation in 2022. In interviews, Abascal has described herself as both Mexican and European, citing Spanish family roots and years living in London, and has spoken of a longstanding affinity for Italy and Venice specifically.
Political commentators and observers have noted the melding of celebrity and politics in Italy and abroad, with public figures leveraging visibility across media, fashion and cultural events. Emanuele Filiberto’s media profile — from reality television to society pages — and Abascal’s fashion-industry standing would likely shape public perception should he decide to mount a formal political campaign. He has framed any future political involvement as an extension of cultural and philanthropic activities rather than an immediate plan.
The couple’s appearances have drawn attention in European society pages and fashion outlets, and followers of Abascal’s social-media accounts have seen images and travel snapshots that underscore a jet-setting lifestyle. Both figures have long histories in the public eye: Abascal for decades in fashion and media; Emanuele Filiberto for his lineage, television presence and intermittent forays into public life.
When asked directly earlier this year whether Abascal could be described as "your new partner," the prince replied: "You can write that I am very happy." He has said the two maintain separate lives and work schedules but enjoy time together in Monaco, Italy, Spain and Paris, and that the distance between them can "keep the flame of feelings alive." The couple’s public profile and the prince’s guarded comments about a future in politics are likely to keep them in the headlines as observers watch whether media visibility will translate into electoral momentum.