Diofebo Meli Lupi di Soragna, the last Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, has died
Born in Varese, he was 85 years old
Prince Diofebo Meli Lupi di Soragna has died at the age of 85. A member of one of the oldest families of the Italian nobility, he was the last ‘Prince of the Holy Roman Empire’ and was a figure who managed to combine the prestige of his family history with a keen sense of humour, an affable nature and a great passion for sport.
Born in Varese in 1941, he graduated in Political Science from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan. After serving as a reserve officer in the Alpini, he worked for several years in London in the financial sector, before returning to Italia following his father’s death to devote himself to the family farm and the management of the historic Rocca di Soragna (Parma). The castle, an elegant stately home whose origins date back to the 14th century, had for years been one of the symbolic centres of the region’s cultural and social life. Meli Lupi had kept its doors open to visitors and had often made the castle’s premises available for cultural events, gala evenings and charity initiatives. Among the distinguished guests was Princess Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth II, who visited Soragna in 1988.
What made Prince Diofebo Meli Lupi di Soragna particularly popular, however, was not merely his family background and noble titles. It was, above all, his personality, characterised by elegance, charm and a keen sense of humour. This charisma had also taken him in front of the cameras, with several television appearances and, in particular, on the ‘Maurizio Costanzo Show’. During his television appearances, he recounted, with his characteristic ease, some of the most curious episodes of his life: from attending, as a guest, the wedding of Grace Kelly to Prince Rainier of Monaco to the Wednesday evenings spent in the basement in Busseto with his friends from the ‘Bunker’ group.
