By Douglas R. Sweeney

At first glance, you might assume that Lexington’s only connection to Italy are its several pizza joints and Italian restaurants, but this assumption would be wrong. Lexington is home to a piece of 19th century Italian history: a bridal veil that belonged to Queen Margherita of Italy.

The bridal veil made the trip from Italy in 1950 when Alma Piovano and her husband, Umberto, settled in Lexington. Since then, 21 local brides have worn the veil.

Margherita of Savoy married her first cousin, crowned prince Umberto I, in 1868. Umberto was the son of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a united Italy. Margherita became queen in 1878 when her husband took the throne.

According Dr. Davis Futch of Washington and Lee University’s history department, she was “the stereotypical image of what a queen should be.” She was an elegant and grand queen who loved to adorn herself in pearls.

It was during her reign as queen that Margherita gave her lady-in-waiting a handmade lace veil for her wedding to a Mr. Piovano. The marriage between Piovano and the lady-in-waiting produced a son whom the couple named Umberto after Margherita’s husband, King Umberto I.

It was Umberto Piovano who, along with his wife Alma, would bring the veil to Lexington. Alma Piovano spent her youth in the northeast United States and met Umberto aboard a ship to Europe. The two fell in love and were married. The couple lived in Rapallo, a small city in Italy on the Ligurian Sea.

When World War II began, Alma had an opportunity to return to America but stayed in Rapallo with Umberto, who was interned by the fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini. When the Allies occupied Rapallo, Major General Edward M. Almond was headquartered in the Piovanos' house. Almond was a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, class of 1915, and he told the couple of the picturesque town at the foot of the Appalachians.

Several years after the war, the Piovanos moved to Lynchburg, and then to Lexington, but continued to spend summers in Rapallo. The Piovanos were well liked throughout Lexington and could often be seen enjoying an afternoon of golf or bridge.

Umberto died in Italy during the summer of 1960, but Alma continued to make the trans-Atlantic trip for another ten years before she chose to move to Lexington.

It was in 1962 that the bridal veil was first worn by a Lexington bride, according to an article about the veil by Julia Smith Martin, the unofficial historian of the Piovanos and their veil. Julia Coates was the engaged daughter of one of Alma Piovano’s friends. Alma suggested that Coates wear the veil.

Coates became the first of 21 local women to wear the veil during their weddings, the most recent being Eva Anderson Barnett in 2004. Alma enjoyed lending the veil to young women and asked that the practice continue after her death, which occurred in 1980.

Alma Piovano’s contributions to Lexington do not end with her bridal veil. She was also a patron of the library, where a room is named after her, and of the Lexington First Aid Crew, who have named their building after her.

The veil is stored safely in a box at the Rockbridge Regional Library in the Library Director’s office and can be seen upon request. It is about three yards long and two yards wide and is decorated by soft lace flowers. It was made sometime during the mid-19th century.

If you were concerned about whether a bridal veil belonging to a queen who associated with fascists is appropriate for young women to wear, don’t worry. According to Futch, Queen Margherita’s “personal morality was impeccable.”

Produced by Washington and Lee journalism students.

Lead supervisor:      Prof. Claudette Artwick

Reporting supervisor: Prof. Doug Cumming

Editing supervisor:  Prof. Pamela Luecke

Technical supervisor:  Michael Todd