The death of Italy‘s controversial former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will have left many across the world devastated – and no one more than his young girlfriend, with whom he threw a ‘symbolic wedding’ last year.
The billionaire businessman, 86, who created Italy’s largest media company before transforming the country’s political landscape, is understood to have passed away over the weekend.
Berlusconi’s health markedly deteriorated in recent years, with open-heart surgery in 2016 and numerous hospital admissions since contracting Covid-19 three years ago.
Despite this, he had enjoyed a healthy love life, and even celebrated a ‘symbolic wedding’ with his 32-year-old MP girlfriend, Marta Fascina, estimated to have cost at least €400,000, last year.
It was far from the first big romance of his life, after he married Veronica Lario in 1990 – but the two underwent a high profile divorce in 2012 which saw him settling to pay her $48 million a year.
The death of Italy’s controversial former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will have left many across the world devastated – and no one more than his young girlfriend, Marta Fascina, with whom he threw a ‘symbolic wedding’ last year
It was far from the first big romance of his life, after he married Veronica Lario in 1990 – but the two underwent a high profile divorce in 2012. He was ordered to pay her $48 million a year in a divorce settlement
Rumours of friendship between the former Italian PM and Marta surfaced in 2020 when his long-term girlfriend Francesca Pascale admitted Marta was spending time at his villa in Milan.
The closeness was quickly dismissed as business, with the MP seeking the advice from the statesmen of the Forza Italia party and holding political discussions.
But that pretense was blown out of the water when she was then photographed leaving a luxury Swiss resort with Berlusconi.
In the photographs, the pair were seen walking a Maltese dog called Dudu who belongs to Ms Pascale.
It then emerged the pair had actually started dating at the start of 2020 after she won his affections by sending a series of letters that entranced him so much that he dumped his long term girlfriend after 12 years.
Ms Pascale, who once said in an interview that she asked Berlusconi to marry her every day, appeared to have been caught off guard, saying she was ‘astonished’ by the statement, according to the daily Repubblica.
‘I will hold him dear forever. I wish him all the happiness in the world and hope he finds someone who will take care of him as I have,’ said the blonde, who first caught Berlusconi’s eye when she founded a fan club for him.
Marta, who reportedly has the billionaire’s initials tattooed on her body, has long championed the political party set up by Berlusconi in the 90s and has known him since her days working for AC Milan football club.
A glamorous blonde, Marta’s Instagram page boasts pictures of the young MP smartly dressed in parliament and perched in a two piece skirt suit in a military helicopter, as well as a more sultry image of her posing seductively in front of the camera.
Reflecting on the 53-year age gap between Marta and Berlusconi as they began their relationship, one political rival sniped: ‘If she is looking to make a name for herself, then she has done that.
‘What is it that a 30-year-old woman sees in an 83-year-old man?’
The former Prime Minister enjoyed a healthy love life, and even celebrated a ‘symbolic wedding’ with his 32-year-old MP girlfriend, Marta Fascina, estimated to have cost at least €400,000, last year
Rumours of friendship between the former Italian PM and Marta surfaced in 2020 when his long-term girlfriend Francesca Pascale admitted Marta was spending time at his villa in Milan
As a newcomer to the volatile world of Italian politics, her career was entwined with that of Berlusconi whose own 20 year political career ended in disgrace over ‘bunga bunga’ sex parties involving underage girls.
Born in a coastal city on the toe of southern Italy, Ms Fascina graduated with a degree in Literature and Philosophy from Rome’s Sapienza University and began working for AC Milan football club as a press officer.
At the time, it was owned by Berlusconi and she would have come into regular contact with him.
She became a super fan of the top Italian team – and of its owner – and it was around this time that she reportedly had the initials SB tattooed on her, according to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.
She began her political career by writing a series of supportive articles for a newspaper backing Forza Italia, the party started by Berlusconi in 1994 when he was first elected Prime Minister.
Former Italian prime minister Berlusconi beamed with joy as he celebrated a ‘symbolic wedding’ with his 32-year-old MP girlfriend last year
Despite the fact the ceremony was ‘a celebration of love’ and not an official wedding, Marta looked every bit the blushing bride
According to the Italian press, Marta was ‘offended and very angry about not having a proper wedding’ with billionaire Berlusconi
But it wasn’t until four years ago that she was elected deputy in the Campania 1 district.
Colleagues described her as a ‘simple but cute’ presence in the Italian Parliament.
She rarely voted and did not seek to make any intervention in political matters being discussed during the current parliamentary term.
The couple enjoyed a lavish ‘festival of love’ at a historic property called Villa Gernetto in the town of Lesmo, north of Milan last year.
Fans were given a glimpse of the event online as friends and family offered behind-the-scenes look at the lavish nuptials on Instagram.
The event may have looked very much like a wedding, but the couple were not officially married because of an inheritance row between the families.
From snaps shared on Instagram, it appeared bridesmaids opted for navy gowns for the occasion (pictured left) while the bride’s father wore a matching tie (right)
The celebration took place in a stunning chapel at the villa, with the room decorated with floating candles and white and blue fabrics
Snaps online revealed how guests were serenaded by Berlusconi during the ceremony, who performed while a friend played the piano (pictured), before being gifted scarves for women, ties and watches for the men
Berlusconi’s five adult children were believed to be outraged at their father’s intention to marry Marta, which would have given her a claim to his fortune of over £5 billion.
According to the Italian press, Marta was ‘offended and very angry about not having a proper wedding.’
Despite the fact it wasn’t an official ceremony, Marta looked every bit the blushing bride, donning a floor length white Antonio Riva gown crafted from French lace with a train 3.5m long and sweeping her long blonde locks into a high bun for the occasion.
Luxury wedding planner Illy Goodall estimated the dress along could have cost the couple up to £16,000 (€20,000). Meanwhile Silvio opted for a smart blue Armani suit.
Later, guests were invited to join the couple for lunch, prepared by the Da Vittorio restaurant, enjoying veal mondeghili with lemon, ricotta gnocchi and potatoes with saffron and paccheri ‘alla Vittorio’ as well as sliced beef in red wine with dark potato and cinnamon flavored carrot cream.
‘I’d say a total budget of around £335,000 (€400,000) depending on which brand the watch favours are,’ Illy told FEMAIL.
According to Vanity Fair, the groom’s brother Paolo and his children of Cavaliere Marina , Barbara , Eleonora and Luigi were in attendance, while his second son Pier Silvio was absent.
His absence was reportedly because he prefered to keep away from crowds for fear of catching Covid.
But while Silvio’s wedding party had some notable absences, the 60 person guestlist was filled with relatives of Marta and then Berlusconi’s friends and historical allies, including politicians Matteo Salvini and Marcello Dell’Utri.
While Berlusconi serenaded the group, his bride stood and other guests stood on and watched him perform (pictured)
Despite the fact the nuptials weren’t official, the group enjoyed a huge three tiered cake for the occasion, which had been decorated with blue and white flowers
Berlusconi can be seen on the left of the picture, stood alongside Marta who is wearing a white wedding dress and holding a bouquet of flowers
Vittorio Sgarbi, the MP and art critic told The Times: ‘Although there was no priest or public official, it was like a real wedding. Berlusconi was full of happiness as he told Marta she was ‘a gift from the heavens’.’
Seemingly undeterred by health woes, sex scandals and advanced age, Berlusconi proceeded with the ceremony alongside his girlfriend, which was styled as a ‘festival of love’ rather than an official union.
Snaps online revealed how guests were serenaded by Berlusconi during the ceremony, who performed while a friend played the piano, before being gifted scarves for women, ties and watches for the men.
According to reports, he told Marta: ‘You complete me, I couldn’t live without you, you fill my life.’
Meanwhile attendees dined on tables lined with baby blue and white flowers, with catering provided by Vittorio, a famous local restaurant offering 16-course meals which cost as much as €330 (£277) per head.
In this image posted on Facebook, then-85-year-old former Italian prime minister Silvio (R) gazes into the eyes of 32-year-old Marta, an MP in his Forza Italia party, wishing her a happy birthday
Martha (pictured) is Berlusconi’s latest romantic conquest after he broke off his previous relationship with Francesca Pascale in 2020
The 32-year-old is a Calabrian literature graduate at Rome’s Sapienza University, according to Italian news site ANSA
Berlusconi was previously married to Veronica Lario (born Miriam Bartolini), with whom he had three children: Barbara, Eleonora and Luigi.
The media tycoon split from his long suffering wife after it was revealed he had attended the 18th birthday party of a glamorous lingerie model.
Though Berlusconi’s penchant for younger girlfriends was evident, he was also the subject of several sex scandals with prostitutes.
The former PM was previously convicted of paying £6 million to underage Moroccan prostitute Karima El Mahroug, also known as ‘Ruby the heart-stealer’, for sexual services between February and May 2010, but was later found not guilty on appeal.
El Mahroug was reportedly an attendee of one of Berlusconi’s many ‘bunga bunga’ sex parties held at his private villa.
Berlusconi broke off his previous relationship with Francesca Pascale (pictured together) in 2020
Though Berlusconi’s penchant for younger girlfriends is evident, he was subject of several sex scandals with prostitutes (left: Italian escort Patrizia D’Addario. Right: Moroccan prostitute Karima El Mahroug)
Besides his reputation for ‘bunga bunga’ parties, Berlusconi was temporarily barred from public office after a conviction for tax fraud in 2013, and has been accused of several cases of embezzlement.
The media mogul also battled a string of health issues in the past two decades.
In late 2006 he was admitted to hospital with a minor heart problem after fainting, and underwent heart surgery in a US hospital in January 2007.
He later had major heart surgery in 2016 and has also survived prostate cancer, which he revealed in 2000 after having endured the disease for three years.
At the time he described his cancer ordeal as ‘a nightmare lasting months’, but said his battle with coronavirus in September 2020 had been the ‘most dangerous challenge’ of his life.
