Gioco di bocce e scopa al Quirinale: Sofia ricorda suo nonno Napolitano

Sofia May Napolitano, 26, has become a well-known figure nationally after her speech at the funeral of Giorgio Napolitano on September 26th. She reveals more details about her relationship with the former President of the Republic. She explains that she practiced her speech multiple times in front of her parents, and on the day of the ceremony, she was reassured by the presence of her younger brother, Simone.

Sofia also shares an “unpublished” story about her grandfather. She recalls a time when he called their house to settle an argument between her and her brother. They were watching Power Rangers and the reception was poor, but Simone didn’t want to change the channel.

From trivial matters to more important advice about the future, studies, and politics, Sofia and her grandfather would discuss everything without any influence. He would send her articles or books that he thought might interest her, but he was never pushy. For example, when she was writing her thesis on the impact of political language on immigration during the Conte-Salvini government, he would send her current articles on the topic. He was attentive to what she said and listened to her. Sofia dedicated her thesis to him.

Sofia chose to study Political Science because politics had been so important in their family. She later specialized in law in Bath, England. Her family had moved to Geneva in 2010 because her mother had a position at the United Nations. Her grandparents attended her graduation ceremony, and her grandfather gave her a copy of his book, “The World Order,” after receiving the Kissinger Prize in Germany. However, he was worried when he found out she was going to Bath alone.

To prevent his granddaughter from feeling lonely, Napolitano would call her frequently. He would tell her to be happy and go to the theater, his way of telling her to have fun. Sofia mentions a time when he gave a speech at the Italian Society of the University and stopped to talk to the students because he was curious about young people. When he was at the Quirinale, he received Sofia’s class, and some of her teachers came to the wake.

Sofia also recalls her meeting with Queen Elizabeth, which she mentioned in her funeral speech. In 2014, they had lunch together with a small group of people. Sofia sat next to her grandfather and the Queen. Prince Philip asked her what she wanted to study, and when she said politics, he told her to reconsider. He also took her to China with him in 2010 when she was thirteen, her first time in Asia.

During her childhood and adolescence, her grandfather never failed to give her and her brother gifts and toys. She remembers receiving a scooter when she was three, and her brother received a toy train with a real conductor’s hat and whistle. He gave them their first cell phones, the iPhone 3, but they were older by then. They would make Skype calls, and he would find a way to call one of them every night. They would always spend Christmas, Easter, and other holidays together. They would play bocce, scopa, and hide-and-seek when they were younger.