Amedeo was long viewed by Italian royalists as a likely claimant to the throne if Umberto's own son,
Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, failed to live up to monarchist expectations. On 7 July 2006, Amedeo declared himself to be the Head of the House of Savoy and
Duke of Savoy, claiming that in 1971, Vittorio Emanuele had lost his
dynastic rights when he married without previously obtaining the permission of Umberto II, authorization which had been required under monarchical law. However, there have been claims that consent could also be granted after the wedding. In addition, there were disputes over the surname used by Amedeo. In 2009, Vittorio Emanuele and his son,
Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Venice, sought judicial intervention to forbid Amedeo's use of the surname
di Savoia. In February 2010, the court of
Arezzo ruled that the Amedeo and his son Aimone must pay damages totalling 50,000 euros to their cousins and cease using the surname
di Savoia instead of
di Savoia-Aosta. Amedeo's claim received the support of Vittorio Emanuele's sister,
Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy. However, the verdict was overturned on appeal, with the court of second resort allowing Amedeo the use of the short surname, in the form of
di Savoia, and additionally revoking the financial penalty originally imposed on him. Although many monarchists transferred their allegiance to Amedeo at some point after King Umberto's death, Amedeo was criticised by other Italian royalists who continue to support Prince Vittorio Emanuele. Sergio Pellecchi, President of the
Giunta of the Chivalric Orders of the House of Savoy, has stated that the Council of the Senators of the Kingdom was dissolved in 2002 and that it never had any authority in matters of the succession. Eugenio Armando Dondero, spokesman for the
Coordinamento Monarchico Italiano, has asked why Amedeo did not claim to be head of the House of Savoy in 1983 when Umberto II died. But others, including constitutional jurist Guido Locatello, declared the marriage of Vittorio Emanuele to be in violation of Savoy dynastic law years before the scandal evoked any clamour for Amedeo to replace him. The
Unione Monarchica Italiana published in its newsletter,
Monarchia Nuova, on 12 February 1987 that the Prince of Naples' marriage to Marina Doria violated the decree of
Victor Amadeus III, issued 13 September 1780, regulating the marriages of princes of the blood royal, compelling the
Unione to recognise Amedeo as rightful head of the royal house—although at that time Aosta had put forth no public dynastic claim. Amedeo was a Knight of the
Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation named by
Umberto II, a Grand Cross of the
Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus named by his cousin
Vittorio Emanuele, and a Knight of Honor and Devotion of the
Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem. He was an honorary citizen of the towns of
Marigliano,
Pantelleria, and
Abetone. Along with his claim to be Head of the House of Savoy, Amedeo also claimed to be Grand Master of all the house orders. ==Death==