Farewell to a café icon and a royal—why their legacies will never fade
- Replies 3
The loss of influential figures often leaves a lasting impact, especially when their contributions have shaped communities and traditions.
Two remarkable individuals, each cherished in their own circles, have recently passed away.
Their legacies will not be forgotten.
A Sydney icon, known for running one of Kings Cross’s most legendary cafés, has passed away.
Vittorio Bianchi, the former owner of Piccolo Bar, died this week at the age of 91.
Born in a village outside Naples in 1934, he arrived in Australia as a teenager in the 1940s, unable to speak English.
Decades later, he became a beloved figure in Kings Cross, earning the title ‘Real King of the Cross’ after purchasing Piccolo Bar in 1994.
The café, which first opened in 1952, became a 24-hour hub for artists, actors, musicians, drag queens and strippers, all drawn to its strong, black coffee and Bianchi’s larger-than-life personality.
Over the years, Piccolo Bar welcomed a parade of famous faces, including Jeff Buckley, Mel Gibson, Marianne Faithfull, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, artist Brett Whiteley and Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.
‘To live in the Cross meant that you knew Vittorio Bianchi,’ journalist Barry Divola said.
‘It was impossible not to know him. His infectious laughter and cutting asides will linger on as long as that building is standing. He's as much a part of that place as the walls and ceiling.’
‘Unsurprisingly, he had a lot to say, about being an Italian immigrant and coming to Australia at the age of 14 knowing no English, about the good and bad old days of the Cross, about being a gay man at that time, about his hatred of gentrification and what it was doing to inner-city Sydney, about his adoration for the theatre and his admiration for actors and performers.’
David and Amy Spanton, who now run Piccolo Bar as an aperitivo bar and diner, paid tribute to the man who made it famous.
‘If you have a chance to pop by this week, come and check out some of the photos and raise a glass to Vittorio and his life,’ David Spanton said.
‘He truly is part of the fabric of the Cross, and his memory will live on.’
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to ensure Bianchi receives the farewell he wished for, with a goal of raising $17,500.
The funds will cover crematorium fees, a memorial service at the Wayside Chapel, food, drinks, and a cabaret show—something Bianchi specifically requested.
‘It was his wish that a cabaret show be held to farewell him and pay artists. We want to send him into the next life to join loved ones who have already passed,’ organiser Tina Newton-Cara said.
‘It is our responsibility now to fulfil Vittorio's wishes and to host a fitting tribute and memorial that includes paying and feeding the performers - causes close to Vittorio's heart.’
Many took to social media to honour him, describing him as an ‘outstanding individual’ with an unforgettable presence.
‘He hired my father as a barista way back when Australians weren't aware of what espresso was. Vale Vito,’ one person wrote.
‘I feel completely blessed to have known this wonderful man. I have some very cool stories that I'll keep close to my heart and always remember him as an outstanding individual with a magnetic personality. RIP legend,’ another said.
Local writer, actor and performer Vashti Hughes remembered him as a ‘colourful man’ and noted that he was among the first to train as an actor at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre.
Bianchi’s legacy lives on in Piccolo Bar, a place where history, culture and a sense of community thrived under his watchful eye.
Like Vittorio Bianchi, another beloved figure, Archduchess Estelle, also passed away recently, leaving behind a lasting legacy.
Archduchess Estelle de Saint-Romain of Austria has passed away at the age of 46.
Her death was confirmed in Le Figaro’s Carnet du Jour, which published a statement announcing that she had died on 4 March.
Her funeral took place a week later at Monastère de Cimiez in Nice, France.
‘Her husband, Archduke Carl Christian, their children, her parents, and her in-laws are deeply saddened to announce that Archduchess Estelle of Austria, née Lapra de Saint Romain, was called to God on Tuesday, March 4, 2025,’ the statement, translated to English, read.
Although no cause of death was given, Estelle had previously been diagnosed with cancer.
Born in 1979, she married Archduke Carl Christian of Austria in 2007.
He was the great-grandson of Emperor Charles I of Austria, the former ruler of Austria, Hungary, and other Habsburg states before the monarchy was abolished in 1918.
The couple had five children: 17-year-old Zita, 15-year-old Anezka, 12-year-old Anna, 10-year-old Paola and four-year-old Pier-Georgia.
According to sources, Belgium’s Princess Astrid, Luxembourg’s Princess Marie-Astrid, the Duke of Castro and Ferdinand of Habsburg were among those who attended the funeral.
Brother Antonio Basso, who led the service, remembered her for her ‘loving wisdom’ and spoke of how ‘Estelle and her family came to Mass at the monastery’ every Sunday.
Despite the end of the Austrian monarchy, the Habsburg name has remained in the public eye.
When Estelle and Carl Christian wed, it was reported that ‘princes, archdukes and other distinguished guests had great difficulty making their way through the onlookers’ who had gathered in the town square.
Their wedding was attended by 300 guests, including Astrid, Liechtenstein’s Prince Gundakar, and Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoléon.
Carl Christian was the eldest son of Archduke Rodolphe de Habsbourg-Lorraine and Archduchess Marie-Hélène, née Baroness de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck.
He had five younger brothers and two sisters.
His cousin, Archduke Karl von Habsburg, was the current head of the Austrian Imperial House.
Both Vittorio Bianchi and Archduchess Estelle left lasting impressions on their communities in very different ways.
May they both rest in peace.
Two remarkable individuals, each cherished in their own circles, have recently passed away.
Their legacies will not be forgotten.
A Sydney icon, known for running one of Kings Cross’s most legendary cafés, has passed away.
Vittorio Bianchi, the former owner of Piccolo Bar, died this week at the age of 91.
Born in a village outside Naples in 1934, he arrived in Australia as a teenager in the 1940s, unable to speak English.
Decades later, he became a beloved figure in Kings Cross, earning the title ‘Real King of the Cross’ after purchasing Piccolo Bar in 1994.
The café, which first opened in 1952, became a 24-hour hub for artists, actors, musicians, drag queens and strippers, all drawn to its strong, black coffee and Bianchi’s larger-than-life personality.
Over the years, Piccolo Bar welcomed a parade of famous faces, including Jeff Buckley, Mel Gibson, Marianne Faithfull, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, artist Brett Whiteley and Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.
‘To live in the Cross meant that you knew Vittorio Bianchi,’ journalist Barry Divola said.
‘It was impossible not to know him. His infectious laughter and cutting asides will linger on as long as that building is standing. He's as much a part of that place as the walls and ceiling.’
‘Unsurprisingly, he had a lot to say, about being an Italian immigrant and coming to Australia at the age of 14 knowing no English, about the good and bad old days of the Cross, about being a gay man at that time, about his hatred of gentrification and what it was doing to inner-city Sydney, about his adoration for the theatre and his admiration for actors and performers.’
David and Amy Spanton, who now run Piccolo Bar as an aperitivo bar and diner, paid tribute to the man who made it famous.
‘If you have a chance to pop by this week, come and check out some of the photos and raise a glass to Vittorio and his life,’ David Spanton said.
‘He truly is part of the fabric of the Cross, and his memory will live on.’
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to ensure Bianchi receives the farewell he wished for, with a goal of raising $17,500.
The funds will cover crematorium fees, a memorial service at the Wayside Chapel, food, drinks, and a cabaret show—something Bianchi specifically requested.
‘It was his wish that a cabaret show be held to farewell him and pay artists. We want to send him into the next life to join loved ones who have already passed,’ organiser Tina Newton-Cara said.
‘It is our responsibility now to fulfil Vittorio's wishes and to host a fitting tribute and memorial that includes paying and feeding the performers - causes close to Vittorio's heart.’
Many took to social media to honour him, describing him as an ‘outstanding individual’ with an unforgettable presence.
‘He hired my father as a barista way back when Australians weren't aware of what espresso was. Vale Vito,’ one person wrote.
‘I feel completely blessed to have known this wonderful man. I have some very cool stories that I'll keep close to my heart and always remember him as an outstanding individual with a magnetic personality. RIP legend,’ another said.
Local writer, actor and performer Vashti Hughes remembered him as a ‘colourful man’ and noted that he was among the first to train as an actor at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre.
Bianchi’s legacy lives on in Piccolo Bar, a place where history, culture and a sense of community thrived under his watchful eye.
Like Vittorio Bianchi, another beloved figure, Archduchess Estelle, also passed away recently, leaving behind a lasting legacy.
Archduchess Estelle de Saint-Romain of Austria has passed away at the age of 46.
Her death was confirmed in Le Figaro’s Carnet du Jour, which published a statement announcing that she had died on 4 March.
Her funeral took place a week later at Monastère de Cimiez in Nice, France.
‘Her husband, Archduke Carl Christian, their children, her parents, and her in-laws are deeply saddened to announce that Archduchess Estelle of Austria, née Lapra de Saint Romain, was called to God on Tuesday, March 4, 2025,’ the statement, translated to English, read.
Although no cause of death was given, Estelle had previously been diagnosed with cancer.
Born in 1979, she married Archduke Carl Christian of Austria in 2007.
He was the great-grandson of Emperor Charles I of Austria, the former ruler of Austria, Hungary, and other Habsburg states before the monarchy was abolished in 1918.
The couple had five children: 17-year-old Zita, 15-year-old Anezka, 12-year-old Anna, 10-year-old Paola and four-year-old Pier-Georgia.
According to sources, Belgium’s Princess Astrid, Luxembourg’s Princess Marie-Astrid, the Duke of Castro and Ferdinand of Habsburg were among those who attended the funeral.
Brother Antonio Basso, who led the service, remembered her for her ‘loving wisdom’ and spoke of how ‘Estelle and her family came to Mass at the monastery’ every Sunday.
Despite the end of the Austrian monarchy, the Habsburg name has remained in the public eye.
When Estelle and Carl Christian wed, it was reported that ‘princes, archdukes and other distinguished guests had great difficulty making their way through the onlookers’ who had gathered in the town square.
Their wedding was attended by 300 guests, including Astrid, Liechtenstein’s Prince Gundakar, and Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoléon.
Carl Christian was the eldest son of Archduke Rodolphe de Habsbourg-Lorraine and Archduchess Marie-Hélène, née Baroness de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck.
He had five younger brothers and two sisters.
His cousin, Archduke Karl von Habsburg, was the current head of the Austrian Imperial House.
Both Vittorio Bianchi and Archduchess Estelle left lasting impressions on their communities in very different ways.
May they both rest in peace.
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