Francis i

**Francisco I (Francisco Alessandro Patrizio, born December 17, 1935) is the King of the Vatican States. Francisco was born in the Royal Palace of Rome as the first son of King Xavier I and Queen Natalia. He was privately educated at home and began serving in public functions in 1955, serving his father on International Tours. In 1957 he married Eleanor with whom he has five children: Arturo, Duke of Lazio, Carlos, Duke of Umbria, Astrid, Duchess of Lombardia, Constantine, Duke of Calabria and Gabriel, Prince of Sardinia and Sicily.**

**When his father died in March 1960, Francis became King of the Vatican States. His numerous visits and historical meetings include a state visit to the French Republic, visits of more than 390 Heads of State and Government and 6 Popes in the church. Important events include his coronation in 1960 and the celebrations of his Anniversaries, Gold and Diamond in 1980 and 2010. Francis has occasionally faced Conservative sentiments and press criticism of the royal family. However, support for the monarchy of the Vatican States has been and remains consistently high, as has his personal popularity.**

# ***Personal information***

**Reign: March 20, 1960 - Present**

**Coronation: January 2, 1961**

**Predecessor: Xavier I**

**Heir: Arthur, Duke of Lazio**

**Secular Name: Francisco Javier Patrizio**

**Treatment: Your Majesty**

**Born: December 17, 1935**

**Royal Anthem: God Save the King**

**Catolic religion**

**Residence: Royal Palace of Rome (Official Residence) and Castle of Buonconsiglio (Times of Covid-19)**

**Royal House: Savoy**

**Father: Javier I**

**Mother: Natalia, Duchess of Venice**

**Consort: Eleanor, Queen of the Vatican States**

# ***Early life***

**Francisco Alessandro Patrizio Saboia was born at 8:32 a.m. on December 17, 1935, during the reign of his father, King Xavier I. His mother, the Duchess of, was the youngest daughter of the Duke of Venice, Alessandro Veneto. He gave birth by caesarean section in the Royal Palace in Rome. She was publicly baptized by Pope Pius XI in St. Peter's Square on December 20 and Francis was named for the Saint, Javier for his Father George V, and Alessandro for his maternal grandfather. Called "Paco" by his close family. Francisco's only sister, Princess Maria Jose, was born in 1937. The Prince and Princess were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their institutor, Iacopo Calabrese. Lessons focused on history, languages, geography, politics, literature and music. His father described him as "a cheerful child, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved."**

# ***Heir to the Crown***

**During the reign of his Father, Francisco was third in the line of succession to the Vatican throne, behind his Uncle Luis and his Cousin Octavio since he was a minor. Although his birth generated public interest, it was not expected that he would become King, since it was thought that the king would die and the throne would remain in the hands of his uncle but that never happened and his uncle died first. When his uncle died in 1943 and his cousin became first in line of succession, he became second in line of succession to the throne. Later that year, Octavio lost the law, after his proposed marriage to commoner Licia Lo Duca sparked a constitutional crisis. Consequently, he becomes an heir at 8 years of age. Francisco received private history lessons from Gustavo Lucchesi, vice-rector of the University of Rome La Sapienza. A company of Scouts, the 1st Company of the Palace of Rome, was formed specifically so that he could socialize with children his age. In 1948, Francisco's parents toured the United Kingdom and the United States. As in 1945, when they had been on tour in Germany, Francisco remained in Rome, as his father considered him too young to undertake public tours.**

# ***WWII***

**In September 1940, the Vatican States entered World War II. His Excellency Prime Minister Alceo Romani suggested that Princes Francisco and Maria Jose should be evacuated to Australia to avoid frequent aerial bombardments. This was rejected by her mother, who declared: "The children will not leave without me, I will not leave without my husband and my husband will not leave her country." The princes stayed at the Palazzina Cinese, Palermo, until Christmas 1945.**

**At the end of the war in Europe, on the Day of Victory in Europe, Francisco and Maria Jose, returned to Rome and mingled anonymously with the crowd celebrating the streets of Rome. Francisco later said in a rare interview: "My sister and I, aged 10 and 8, arrived in Rome and the driver left us on Via del Corso to go to celebrate and my sister and I were lost, for not making public appearances. He did not recognize us and there were thousands of strangers and we walked through the crowd and we found a policeman and we told him that we were lost and we used our code names in case that happened and he took us to the Palace where my grandmother was and very little servants for the celebration".**

# ***Succession and coronation***

**During 1958, Xavier I's health deteriorated and Francisco frequently replaced him at public events. When he toured Mexico and visited President John F. Kennedy in Washington in November 1959, his private secretary, Ausilio De Luca, carried a draft declaration of adhesion in case the King died while he was on tour. At the beginning of 1960, Francisco and Leonor undertook a tour of South America. On March 20, 1960, the couple was on the outskirts of Bogota, when the news arrived of the death of the King and, consequently, of Francisco's immediate access to the throne. Ausilio broke the news to the new king. Ausilio De Luca asked him to choose a kingdom name, he chose to remain Francisco. She was proclaimed King of the Kingdom of the Vatican States and the royal party hurried back to the Kingdom. He and She moved to the Royal Palace in Rome.**

**The coronation on January 2, 1961 took place as planned. The ceremony in the Basilica of Santa María la Mayor, with the exception of the anointing and communion, was televised for the first time. Francisco's coronation costume was made by Mario Prada and the State Cloak of Crimson, the Robe of Anointing, the Superior Tunic, the Royal Cloak, the Crown of Saint Peter, the Scepter of the Cross, the sword of the Mercy and the Coronation Ring.**