Umberto II, full nameUmberto Nicola Tommaso Giovanni Maria di Savoia (15 September 1904–18 March 1983), was the lastKing of Italy. He reigned for 34 days,[1] from 9 May 1946 to 12 June 1946, although he had beende factohead of state since 1944 and was nicknamedthe May King (Italian:Re di Maggio).
Umberto was the only son among the five children ofKing Victor Emmanuel III andQueen Elena. To repair the monarchy's image after the fall ofBenito Mussolini's regime, Victor Emmanuel transferred his powers to Umberto in 1944 while retaining the title of king. As a referendum on theabolition of the monarchy was in preparation, Victor Emmanuel abdicated his throne in favour of Umberto in the hope that his exit might bolster the monarchy. However, the referendum passed, Italy was declareda republic, and Umberto lived out the rest of his life in exile inCascais, on thePortuguese Riviera.
