The story includes an in-person interview with Vittoria's father, Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice, and a telephone interview with rival heir to the now-defunct throne, Prince Aimone, Duke of Puglia. The Times also interviewed Vittoria, who is an Instagram influencer. 'Vittoria, when asked whether she thought Italy was ready to have her as a queen, or head of the family, said she had heard “Italy is not really progressive.” “But” she added, “they will learn.” She is already starting to assert herself. Last month, her father helped her draft the language and firm up her intonation for a straight-to-camera defense of the rights of French private school students in an Instagram address to France’s president, Emmanuel Macron.' Emmanuele Filiberto himself does not pull any punches in discussing his cousins: 'He scorns cousins who, he said, were never important enough to even exile, and who, having failed in their efforts to supplant his father and him, were now targeting his daughter. “They were thinking that me, not having any sons, they would finally have what they were waiting for, for 150 years,” but his father foiled their plans. “They got screwed,” he said. “And they got pissed.”' His cousin Aimone takes a more dignified stance: '“To put it mildly, it is not a good relationship,” Aimone said in a phone interview. But he said he wanted to avoid a public shouting match with his cousins “over something that doesn’t exist. I try to be more dignified if possible given the great responsibility of such a name.”'
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