Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, the only son of Italy's last king, who lived in exile in neighbouring Switzerland for most of his life, has died aged 86 at his home in Geneva, a note by the Royal House of Savoy said. Born in the southern Italian city of Naples, he left his homeland as a 9-year-old when his father Umberto II was forced to leave following the 1946 national referendum which abolished the monarchy and established a republic. He had declared himself King of Italy and long battled the rule in the Italian Constitution which barred all male members of his family from returning to the country.