[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Mr. Goldring suggests (The
Spectator, July 6th) that the prestige and authority of the King of Italy have greatly declined since the advent of Fascism, and claims that he has had to submit to the humiliation of seeing " the oath of allegi- ance to his heirs abolished." What this last statement means I fail to understand. The allegiance in Italy is taken today as it has been in the past, by all officers, civil servants, mem- bers of Parliament, &c., to the King and His Royal heirs.
As for the decline of the Royal prerogative, Mr. Goldring evidently has forgotten what the situation of the Italian Monarchy was before October, 1922. In those days the Crown was openly flouted and insulted in the Press, and even in the Chamber of Deputies, and while some parties flaunted anti-Monarchical ideas, others regarded the Monarchy merely with tolerant contempt. This tacit encouragement of sedition resulted on one occasion in the foul murder of a King— Umberto, one of the best and kindest of men.
In all modern Monarchies the King reigns but does not govern ; the indirect influence of the King, however, may be considerable, and in Italy today that indirect influence is greater and the Crown is far more respected than ever before.—
I am, Sir, &c., LUIGI VILLARI. The Athenaeum, Pall Mall, S.W. 1.
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