Pietro d'Acquarone

Pietro d'Acquarone, I Duke d'Acquarone (born Pietro Acquarone; (Genoa, 9 April 1890 – Sanremo, 13 February 1948) was an Italian aristocrat, Brigade General, entrepreneur and politician. He was nominated to the Senate of the Kingdom of Italy in 1934. Close to the royal family, in 1939 he was appointed Minister to the Royal Household. He was a trusted advisor to the King during the difficult later years of the Mussolini régime, and played a central role in the final meeting of the Grand Council that took place overnight on 24/25 July 1943, and in the frantic consultations that ensued. He accompanied Victor Emmanuel III to Pescara and Brindisi on 9/10 September 1943 and then stayed with the King until the latter's abdication 32 months later. Pietro Acquarone was born in Villa Madre Cabrini, then Villa Acquarone, in Genoa, the son of Luigi Filippo, III Count d'Acquarone, and his wife, Countess Maria, nee Pignatelli Montecalvo. He was elevated to the rank of Duke by letter patents of King Victor Emmanuel III on 22 September 1942, thereby changing his surname from 'Acquarone' to 'd'Acquarone'. The nobleman joined a cavalry regiment at a young age, serving in Libya in 1913 during the Italian-Turkish War. In May 1915 the Italian government was persuaded by the British to enter the war against the Austrians: d'Acquarone was deployed in the Northeastern Italy front and was awarded the Bronze Medal of Valor at Falzarego on 21 August 1915 and the Silver Medal of Valor at Monfalcone on 15 May 1916. After the Great War, he served as military instructor to the crown prince. This meant relocating to Rome and starting of a long professional association - increasingly complemented by close friendship - with the Italian royal family. On 9 November 1919 Pietro d'Acquarone married Maddalena Trezza di Musella (1893-1981), the daughter of Cesare Trezza di Musella and his (originally English) wife, born Elena Knowles. Maddalena was heiress to a large fortune: she unhesitatingly signed over to her husband her own legal rights and responsibilities in respect of her father's business.