US-Born Princess Kicked Out of Roman Villa

Texas-born Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi said it was a 'brutal ending' to her time at Villa Aurora
By Steve Huff,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 21, 2023 2:05 PM CDT
Texan ‘Princess’ Evicted From Villa With Famed Caravaggio
Texas-born Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi, born Rita Jenrette Carpenter and last wife of late Prince Nicolo Boncompagni Ludovisi, leaves her residence, The Casino dell'Aurora, also known as Villa Ludovisi, during the execution of an eviction order.   (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

On Thursday, Texas-born "princess" Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi was evicted from Rome's 16th-century Villa Aurora, the climax of a long-running conflict between her and her stepchildren that began after the 2018 death of her husband, Prince Nicolo Boncompagni Ludovisi. The prince's adult children from his first marriage have insisted that the villa—built in 1570 and featuring a rare Caravaggio artwork, the only ceiling mural he painted—is their birthright. Nicolo stated in his will that his widow could remain in the villa for life and also wanted money from any sale that might happen to be divided between her and his children, the Guardian reports.

His sons—one of whom stated his father was "out of his mind" when he penned the will—took the issue to court. The home was put on the market, but no one has bid on it over the course of five auctions that have taken place since January 2022, despite the price being slashed from more than $500 million to $160 million. A judge in January 2023 ordered Ludovisi's eviction, ruling that she didn't keep up the building's maintenance, as evidenced by a wall collapse that forced the closure of a nearby street.

Ludovisi, who allegedly gave unsanctioned tours, told the media she was sad as police escorted her off the premises, calling it a "brutal ending to my beautiful life with my beloved Nicolo," whom she married in 2009, reports the AP. Bante Boncompagni Ludovisi, the prince's youngest son, said he watched the eviction to see the villa "liberated from that woman." Ludovisi said she had the "right to use" the residence and called what was done was "illegal." (More Italy stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X