Mussolini's granddaughter's confession: Benito found his grandmother, betraying her
In a rare interview with the prestigious Italian newspaper "Corriere della Sera", former parliamentarian and granddaughter of Benito Mussolini, Alessandra Mussolini, has revealed previously unpublished details about the personal life of her grandmother, Rachele Mussolini, the wife of the Italian dictator of World War II.
One of the most surprising parts of the interview is the revelation of a love betrayal that, according to Alessandra, did not destroy, but rather strengthened Rachele's marriage to the Duce.
"She was not a submissive woman, she did not act for revenge when he betrayed her, but to win her back," Alessandra confesses.
"After the betrayal, their bond became stronger, because the Duce realized that she was not under his orders. Theirs was a great love."
According to her account, Rachele had a secret affair with Corrado Varoli, a man she had loved since her youth. At one point of high tension, her lover even hid in a closet in the house to escape Mussolini's wrath, after a coded signal announcing his unexpected return.
Alessandra also recounts the complicated dynamics between her grandmother's sisters, internal family jealousies, and attempts to maintain a shadowy relationship at a time when women's roles were rigid and limited.
For her, this betrayal was not an act of rebellion, but a way to restore balance to a marriage filled with absences and betrayals on Mussolini's part.
"Not for revenge. On the contrary. To restore balance. To feel once what he often felt. And to win her husband back."
This story comes as part of the promotion of Alessandra Mussolini's autobiographical book, "Benito. Roses and Thorns", where she attempts to give a deeper and more authentic view of her grandmother's life beyond the usual portrait of a silent woman in the shadow of a man historically known for his cruelty and authoritarianism.
"Rachele was not a victim. She was a woman with a strong personality, abnormal for her time. And this love story with all its clashes – was truer than any myth," concludes Alessandra.
