A Texas-born Italian princess was evicted from the historic Casino dell’Aurora in Rome, Italy, in January, where she had been living with her family. The villa is famous for the only known ceiling painted by renowned painter Caravaggio, depicting Jupiter, Pluto, and Neptune, as well as a white horse. The eviction was ordered by Judge Miriam Iappelli due to the failure of the princess to maintain the property in a good state of conservation after an exterior wall fell apart.
The villa, also known as Villa Ludovisi, was built in 1570 and has been at the center of an inheritance dispute between Princess Rita Jenrette Boncompagni Ludovisi and surviving family members of Prince Nicolo Boncompagni Ludovisi’s first marriage. The villa has been in the Ludovisi family since the 1960s, and Princess Rita became the prince’s third wife in 2009 after his first two wives had died. The prince died in 2018.
Prior to the eviction, Princess Rita had lived at the villa with her two young grandchildren, as well as her housekeeper and the housekeeper’s daughter. The children from Prince Nicolo’s first marriage argued the Casino dell’Aurora belonged to them and hired lawyers to gain control of the property so it could be sold.
The eviction was enforced by police who arrived at the property, and the locksmith changed the locks on the big green front door before the princess had even left. Princess Rita left the villa in a taxi with her four Bichon Frisé dogs, feeling like she was in a surreal movie.
One of the heirs, Prince Bante Boncompagni Ludovisi, was present at the villa to watch Princess Rita leave. He stated that the villa needs renovations, the pipelines of water need to be restored, and the frescoes are in danger. The value of the villa was estimated at 471 million euros ($533 million) when it was put up for auction by court order in December 2021, but it failed to find a bidder due to the 11 million euros ($12.5 million) needed in renovations to bring it up to code. It was relisted with a lower base price five months later.
In conclusion, the eviction of Princess Rita from the Casino dell’Aurora has caused a stir, particularly because the villa is only known for the Caravaggio mural. The property has been the center of an inheritance dispute, which has yet to be resolved. It remains uncertain who will pay for the necessary renovations to bring the villa up to code.