Italian Princess Graces Newport

By: Justine Tomon
Posted In: News

Picture a sweet, little Italian grandmother. Now picture an Italian princess. Furthermore, picture the Italian princess who is also the daughter of a Nobel Prize winning-scientist. Combine those three images and the character you have just described is Princess Maria Elettra Marconi.

A packed auditorium hushed as Princess Marconi descended the stairs of O’Hare’s Bazarsky Lecture Hall Tuesday at 4 p.m. Glassy eyes glistened in awe as a real life princess was in their presence. After being escorted by Sr. Therese Antone, Princess Marconi elegantly took her place at the podium. The princess, daughter of illustrious inventor of the radio, Guglielmo Marconi, spoke about her father’s celebrated career to Salve students and the general public of Newport.

With a thick, warm Italian accent, Princess Marconi explained what it was like to grow up with one of the most important inventors of our time. “He was very nice to me,” she said with a twinkle in her eye and a small laugh. She explained how much her late father adored children, or as he referred to them, “young ones.” That endearment carried on through the years with the family name. The princess addressed the audience, the majority of which was students, as “young ones.”

It was with that same grandmotherly affection that Princess Marconi continued to address the audience. The princess shared sweet stories from her childhood and even shared the story behind her name.

“In 1919, my father bought the Yacht Elettra, the most beautiful boat . . . He named it for ‘electric waves’.” And after a momentary pause, she concluded, “Then I was born.” Her delivery was surrounded by her own giggles, which in turn caused the crowd to chuckle right along with her.

She shared that her father was a man of nature. Everything he did, he did with the realization of how it might affect the community and the natural world around him. A scientist born in Bologna, Italy, his life was devoted to trying to improve the lives of those around him. Princess Marconi remembered her father saying one time that when he was 8 years old, he knew that he wanted to make a difference. And a difference he did make.

In 1895, Marconi invented the first wireless telegraph, which over the next years of his life he continued to improve and work on. Four years later, Marconi developed the Marconi Telegraph Co. in London. That same year, Marconi transmitted a wireless signal across the English Channel, the first time anything of that nature had been accomplished.

His research and work were rewarded in 1909 when he shared the Nobel Prize in physics with Ferdinand Braun. Marconi’s developments in wireless communication eventually were used in cooperation with the fateful sailing of the Titanic in 1912. When asked if she knew the first words transmitted via her father’s radio invention, Princess Marconi quite simply said, “S.O.S.”

The impact of those words is historically significant in two ways. The first of which is the doom of the Titanic’s maiden voyage and the second is the advancement in technology instigated by her father. Marconi’s developments and progress allowed for future technological improvements.

Today, the world in which we live is all electronic. Because of the primary steps taken by Marconi at the turn of the 20th Century, we now have access to information down to the second that it happens. According to Princess Marconi, this would please her father most sincerely. “I believe he is happy,” she said when questioned about how her father would react to the advances in technology.

The idea of improving the world around him was obviously of vital importance, as described by his daughter. He enjoyed helping others, and despite a normally shy and reserved persona, Marconi was proud of his work and had no problem offering his assistance. In 1931, Marconi and Pope Pius XI became friends and the Pope asked Marconi a large favor: to build a powerful radio station in the Vatican so that the Pope may be able to transmit his prayers to a larger audience.

Marconi, always one to help, obliged and to this day, the reason the Pope is able to broadcast daily prayer services is due in large part to Marconi’s invention.

Through the tales shared by Princess Marconi, it was clear how much Marconi valued being able to help. In addition, there was an apparent respect for the “young ones” that her father possessed. Her constant referral to the crowd as, “young ones” was not the only evidentiary support of this. Included in her memories of her father were the examples of him taking the time to explain science and answer the questions of children.

“Young ones are genuine. He could trust them. He enjoyed speaking to them. He always was encouraging them,” she said.

Fittingly, she ended her presentation with the desire to be asked questions. Judd Coderre, a junior at Salve, asked Marconi what she felt her father’s reaction would be to the fact that Salve is revamping its radio station, WSRU.

With a smile, Princess Marconi answered, “Do everything for the best. Reach for perfection.”