Princess Barberini is Eric’s landlord.  Upstairs from his apartment is her palazzo, complete with ceiling frescoes and art.  His apartment is a bit more modest, but very comfortable, and the princess has supplied much of his furniture (beats having to buy everything at Ikea).  His newest arrival from the princess is a large armoire that I could fit into easily.

The princess came over to meet us a few days ago and she was everything I expected. Well dressed in a suit, age late 60’s, and very polite.  We (by we, I mean the princess, Travis, Dave, and Eric) shared a bottle of Italian sparkling white wine.  I would describe it as champagne, but the EU only allows sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France to have that label.  My sip was very tasty. 

She had good suggestions for things we should see in Rome and was pleased that we had already visited several of the sites she suggested.  I was hoping to see her wearing jewelry of her family crest – the Barberini bee.  All over Rome, there are Barberini bees on fountains, arches, and on the baldacchio in St. Peter’s cathedral (big central alter).  These are all structures her family built over the years.  There’s also via Barberini and the Piazza Barberini. One of great uncles was also the pope – either a Pope Urban or Pope Benedict.  I think she’s the first real princess I’ve ever met.