What a fascinating and little-known story, thank you! We Americans don't typically study much Italian history, generally being familiar with only the broadest of broad strokes.

I'd briefly heard of the May King, probably In histories about World War II, but I couldn't have told you anything more about Umberto than that nickname.

How amazing that Italy had a gay king who rather passionately pursued love affairs with men!

When I started looking into this after first seeing your draft, I did a little reading. I was quite surprised at how much information we have about this historical figure, and how little it ever gets talked about or written about.

I also learned that Umberto seemed tortured by his homosexuality, having written at least a couple of times to express his extreme unhappiness with himself and his despair that his sexual orientation was a grave sin according to the Catholic Church — something he apparently took very seriously.

There's a lot to unpack here, isn't there?

We've got an inspirational hero who was blackmailed because of his marginalized minority status, who could have possibly been an even bigger hero if not for that marginalized status.

At least today, we can hold him up as a true hero and honor his memory, even if he's no longer around to receive our affirmations and thanks.

I wish he were, because I really feel for him!!