November 13, 1907
Queen Elena of Italy gave birth to a third daughter today. The new princess has been given the name Giovanna, according to the New York Times. The "little stranger was ushered into the world in a room, that with respect to its hygienic conditions, is quite beyond reproach." King Victor Emanuel is said to be a "stickler for hygiene," and arranged for the birth room and the adjoining nurseries to be "kept thoroughly clean."
Everything in the room is white. The floors are made with white porcelain. The woodwork is "enameled in white, the curtains are of white muslin, and the rugs, which are of thick white cotton, are easily put through the wash."
The nursery is staffed with five nurses, all of whom are also wearing white. The only person who is not in white is the new infant's wet nurse. "This fortunate creature is gorgeous in a rich edition of the costume of her native town." She wears on her head an "immense crown of bright-colored ribbons on her head and streamers of ribbons adorning her gaudy skirt and her corset waist." The wet nurse also wears corals around her neck, and long earrings that "tickle her shoulders."
This "highly decorated person" will become one of the most important "personages in the Quirinal," and will rule the nursery for the first year of Princess Giovanna's life. She will eventually return to her home town, "rich for life, from the peasant's point of view."
King Victor Emmanuel and Queen Elena were married in October 1896. Their first child, Princess Yolanda was born in June 1901. Princess Mafalda was born in November 1902, and the heir apparent, Crown Prince Umberto, was born in September 1904.
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