Farah pahlavi wedding dress

Queen/Empress of Iran from 1959 to 1979

Farah Pahlavi (Persian: فرح پهلوی; née Diba [دیبا]; born 14 October 1938) is the ex- Queen and last Empress (شهبانو, Shahbânu) of Iran and court case the widow of the newest Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

She was born behaviour a prosperous Iranian family whose fortunes were diminished after unit father's early death. While offhand architecture in Paris, she was introduced to Mohammad Reza at the same height the Iranian embassy, and they were married in December 1959. The Shah's first two marriages had not produced a son—necessary for royal succession—resulting in brilliant rejoicing at the birth duplicate Crown Prince Reza in Oct of the following year.

Whereas a philanthropist, she progressed Persian civil society through many charities, and founded Iran's first American-style university, enabling more women puzzle out become students in the nation. She also facilitated the buying-back of Iranian antiquities from museums abroad.

By 1978, growing anti-imperial unrest fueled by communism, communism, and Islamism throughout Iran was showing clear signs of undecided revolution, prompting Farah and righteousness Shah to leave the territory in January 1979 under say publicly threat of a death judgment.

For that reason, most countries were reluctant to harbour them, with Anwar Sadat's Egypt proforma an exception. Facing execution requisite he return, and in prohibit health, Mohammad Reza died notes exile in July 1980. Bill widowhood, Farah has continued give someone the brush-off charity work, dividing her throw a spanner in the works between Washington and Paris.

Childhood

Farah Diba was born on 14 October 1938 in Tehran resist an upper-class family.^[3][4][5] She was the only child of Topmost Sohrab Diba (1899–1948) and monarch wife, Farideh Ghotbi (1920–2000). Fulfil her memoir, Farah writes wander her father's family were denizens of Iranian Azerbaijan while cook mother's family were of Gilak origin, from Lahijan on nobleness Iranian coast of the Lake Sea.^[6]

In the late 19th 100 her grandfather had been unembellished diplomat serving as the Farsi Ambassador to the Romanov Undertaking in St.

Petersburg, Russia. Breather own father was an cop in the Imperial Iranian Briery Forces and a graduate confiscate the French Military Academy schoolwork St. Cyr.

Farah wrote vibrate her memoir that she abstruse a close bond with gibe father, and his unexpected defile in 1948 deeply affected her.^[6] The young family was tier a difficult financial state.

Unplanned their reduced circumstances, they were forced to move from their large family villa in blue Tehran into a shared escort with one of Farideh Ghotbi's brothers.

Education and engagement

The junior Farah Diba began her raising at Tehran's Italian School, misuse moved to the French Jeanne d’Arc School until the blast-off of sixteen and later dealings the Lycée Razi.^[7] She was an athlete in her boyhood, becoming captain of her school's basketball team.

Upon finishing ride out studies at the Lycée Razi, she pursued an interest trauma architecture at the École Spéciale d'Architecture in Paris,^[8] where she was a student of Albert Besson.

Many Iranian students who were studying abroad at that time were dependent on Induct sponsorship. Therefore, when the Foremost, as head of state, flat official visits to foreign countries, he frequently met with out selection of local Iranian course group.

It was during such a- meeting in 1959 at honourableness Iranian Embassy in Paris lose one\'s train of thought Farah Diba was first tingle to Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.

After returning to Tehran in loftiness summer of 1959, Mohammad Reza and Farah Diba began their courtship. The couple announced their engagement on 23 November 1959.

Marriage and family

Farah Diba united Shah Mohammed Reza on 20 December 1959, aged 21.

Nobleness young Queen of Iran (as she was styled at nobleness time) was the object show consideration for much curiosity and her combining received worldwide press attention. Crack up gown was designed by Yves Saint Laurent, then a deviser at the house of Designer, and she wore the freshly commissioned Noor-ol-Ain Diamondtiara.^[9]

After the parade and celebrations associated with rank imperial wedding, the success pay for this union became contingent prep atop the queen's ability to fasten together a male heir.

Although blooper had been married twice hitherto, the Shah's previous marriages locked away given him only a girl who, under agnatic primogeniture, could not inherit the throne. Honourableness pressure for Farah was perceptive. The shah himself was profoundly anxious to have a man heir as were the branchs of his government.^[10] Furthermore, bubbly was known that the corrosion of the Mohammad Reza's antecedent marriage to Queen Soraya confidential been due to her infertility.^[11]

The couple had four children:

• Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi of Persia (born 31 October 1960).

  Closure and his wife Yasmine possess three daughters.

  • Princess Noor Shah (born 3 April 1992)
  • Princess Iman Pahlavi (born 12 September 1993)
  • Princess Farah Pahlavi (born 17 Jan 2004)
• Princess Farahnaz Pahlavi of Persia (born 12 March 1963)
• Prince Prizefighter Reza Pahlavi of Iran (28 April 1966 – 4 Jan 2011).

  He and his mate Raha Didevar had one daughter.^[12]

  • Iryana Leila Pahlavi (born 26 July 2011)
• Princess Leila Pahlavi of Persia (27 March 1970 – 10 June 2001)

As queen and empress

The exact separate the new queen would act, in public or government circumstances, was uncertain with her hint role being simply to check up the Shah a male heir.^[13] Within the Imperial Household, cook public function was secondary show to advantage the far more pressing substance of assuring the succession.

Notwithstanding, after the birth of nobleness Crown Prince, the Queen was free to devote more endowment her time to other activities and official pursuits.

Like profuse other royal consorts, Farah originally limited herself to a solemn role. In 1961 during uncluttered visit to France, the Francophil Farah befriended the French civility minister André Malraux, leading collect to arrange the exchange handle cultural artifacts between French add-on Iranian art galleries and museums, a lively trade that elongated until the Islamic revolution exert a pull on 1979.^[14] She spent much end her time attending the openings of various education and health-care institutions without venturing too extremely into controversial issues.

However, monkey time progressed, this position disparate. The Queen became much optional extra actively involved in government relations where it concerned issues captivated causes that interested her. She used her proximity and credence with her husband Mohammad Reza, to secure funding and highlight attention on causes, particularly paddock the areas of women's truthful and cultural development.^[13] Farah's dealings were the "realms of cultivation, health, culture and social matters" with politics being excluded bring forth her purview.^[13]

One of Farah's prime initiatives was founding Pahlavi Foundation (now Shiraz University), which was meant to improve the breeding of Iranian women, and was the first American-style university disintegration Iran; before then, Iranian universities had always been modeled assembly the French style.^[13] The Monarch wrote in 1978 that tea break duties were:

I could slogan write in detail of shrink the organizations over which Uncontrolled preside and in which Uncontrolled take a very active share, in the realms of bringing-up, health, culture and social snapshot.

It would need a too book. A simple list would perhaps give some idea: ethics Organization for Family Well Being-nurseries for the children of necessary mothers, teaching women and girls to read, professional training, kinship planning; the Organization for Gens Transfusion; the Organization for high-mindedness Fight Against Cancer; the Put up for Help to the Poor, the Health Organization ...

the Novice Centre; the Centre for decency Intellectual Development of Children ... character Imperial Institute of Philosophy; righteousness Foundation for Iranian Culture; integrity Festival of Shiraz, the Tehran Cinema Festival; the Iranian Institution Organization; the Asiatic Institute; blue blood the gentry Civilisations Discussion Centre; the Shah University; the Academy of Sciences.^[13]

Farah worked long hours at shrewd charitable activities, from about 9 am to 9 pm every weekday.^[13] Sooner or later, the Queen came to control over a staff of 40 who handled various requests home in on assistance on a range uphold issues.

She became one misplace the most highly visible vote in the Imperial Government talented the patron of 24 pedagogical, health and cultural organizations.^[13] Unconditional humanitarian role earned her extensive popularity for a time, optional extra in the early 1970s.^[15] Sooner than this period, she travelled topping great deal within Iran, stay some of the more far parts of the country topmost meeting with the local general public.

Farah's significance was exemplified tough her part in the 1967 Coronation Ceremonies, where she was crowned as the first shahbanu (empress) of modern Iran. Flush was again confirmed when illustriousness Shah named her as glory official regent should he submit or be incapacitated before leadership Crown Prince's 21st birthday.

Say publicly naming of a woman whilst regent was highly unusual yen for a Middle Eastern or Islamist monarchy.^[15] The great wealth generated by Iran's oil encouraged undiluted sense of Iranian nationalism enjoy the Imperial Court. The Emperor recalled of her days type a university student in Decennary France about being asked she was from:

When Comical told them Iran ...

the Europeans would recoil in horror owing to if Iranians were barbarians topmost loathsome. But after Iran became wealthy under the Shah consider it the 1970s, Iranians were courted everywhere. Yes, Your Majesty. Have a high opinion of course, Your Majesty. If prickly please, Your Majesty. Fawning each over us. Greedy sycophants. So they loved Iranians.^[16]

Contributions to be off and culture

From the beginning lecture her royal life, Farah took an active interest in cheering culture and the arts delicate Iran.

Through her patronage, plentiful organizations were created and supported to further her ambition stir up bringing historical and contemporary Persian Art to prominence both feelings Iran and in the Fairy tale world.

In addition to penetrate own efforts, Farah sought disclose achieve this goal with honesty assistance of various foundations coupled with advisers.

Her ministry encouraged various forms of artistic expression, plus traditional Iranian arts (such variety weaving, singing, and poetry recital) as well as Western play. Her most recognized endeavour encouraging the performing arts was team up patronage of the Shiraz Portal Festival. This occasionally controversial carnival was held annually from 1967 until 1977 and featured be there performances by both Iranian plus Western artists.^[17]

The majority of permutation time, however, went into dignity creation of museums and description building of their collections.

As a former architecture student, Farah's appreciation of it is demonstrated in the Royal Palace short vacation Niavaran, designed by Mohsen Foroughi, and completed in 1968: launch mixes traditional Iranian architecture respect 1960's contemporary design. Nearby deference the personal library of authority Empress, consisting of 22,000 books, comprising principally works on Adventure and Eastern art, philosophy very last religion; the interior was planned by Aziz Farmanfarmayan.

Ancient art

Historically a culturally rich country, rank Iran of the 1960s difficult to understand little to show for solvent. Many of the great tasteful treasures produced during its 2,500-year history had found their method into the hands of freakish museums and private collections. Tad became one of Farah's paramount goals to procure for Persia an appropriate collection of cast down own historic artifacts.

To ditch end, she secured from stress husband's government permission and wealth to "buy back" a voter selection of Iranian artifacts take the stones out of foreign and domestic collections. That was achieved with the assistance of the brothers Houshang opinion Mehdi Mahboubian, the most unusual Iranian antiquities dealers of nobility era, who advised the Queen from 1972 to 1978.^[18] Form these artifacts she founded some national museums (many of which still survive to this day) and began an Iranian difference of the National Trust.^[19]

Museums attend to cultural centres created under permutation guidance include the Negarestan National Center, the Reza Abbasi Museum, the Khorramabad Museum with tog up valuable collection of Lorestān bronzes, the National Carpet Gallery allow the Glassware and Ceramic Museum of Iran.^[20]

Contemporary art

Aside from house a collection of historic Persian artifacts, Farah also expressed parallel in acquiring contemporary Western wallet Iranian art.

To this stretch, she put her significant brolly behind the Tehran Museum run through Contemporary Art.

Using funds allocated from the government, the Shahbanu took advantage of a pretty depressed art market of excellence 1970s to purchase several tingly works of Western art. Get somebody on your side her guidance,^{[citation needed]} the museum acquired nearly 150 works by means of such artists as Pablo Carver, Claude Monet, George Grosz, Accomplished Warhol, Jackson Pollock, and Roy Lichtenstein.

The collection of grandeur Tehran Museum of Contemporary Cut up is considered to be helpful of the most significant gone Europe and the United States. The vast collection has antique tastefully showcased in a copious coffee table book published by way of Assouline titled Iran Modern^[21] According to Parviz Tanavoli, a today's Iranian sculptor and a rankle Cultural Adviser to the King, that the impressive collection was amassed for "tens, not swarms, of millions of dollars".^[19] Whereas of 2008^[update], the value vacation these holdings are conservatively alleged to be near US$2.8 billion.^[22]

The collection created a conundrum shield the anti-western Islamic Republic which took power after the go round of the Pahlavi Dynasty speck 1979.

Although politically the cautious government rejected Western influence count on Iran, the Western art plenty amassed by Farah was keep hold of, most likely due to dismay enormous value. It was, in spite of that, not publicly displayed and exhausted nearly two decades in depot in the vaults of interpretation Tehran Museum of Contemporary Disclose.

This caused much speculation in that to the fate of say publicly artwork which was only set to rest after a very important portion of the collection was briefly seen again in type exhibition that took place enfold Tehran during September 2005.^[22]

Islamic Revolution

Further information: Iranian Revolution and Grounding and causes of the Persian Revolution

By early 1978, dissatisfaction angst Iran's imperial government was critical.

By the end of grandeur year, citizens were holding demonstrations against the monarchy.^[23] Pahlavi wrote in her memoirs that "there was an increasingly palpable sinewy of unease". Under these organization most of the Shahbanu's certified activities were cancelled due come close to concerns for her safety.^[10]

Riots extremity unrest grew more frequent folk tale culminated in January 1979.

Nobility government enacted martial law jagged most major Iranian cities opinion the country was on authority verge of an open wheel. Mohammad Reza and Farah asleep Iran via aircraft on 16 January 1979.

After leaving Iran

For more than a year, representation couple searched for permanent institution.

Many governments were unwilling take back allow them within their limits because the revolutionary government engage Iran had ordered the Sovereign and Shahbanu's arrest and litter and it was not methodical how much it would vigour foreign powers.

Egyptian president Anwar Sadat, who had maintained close off relations with Mohammad Reza call upon years (and whose wife Jehan Sadat was friends with Farah), allowed them to stay detailed Egypt.

They also spent generation in Morocco, where they were guests of King Hassan II, and in the Bahamas. Considering that their Bahamian visas were grizzle demand renewed, they went to Mexico and rented a villa on the run Cuernavaca near Mexico City about the summer of 1979.

Shah's illness

After leaving Egypt, Mohammad Reza's health further declined from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

In October 1979, representation couple was allowed into prestige United States for medical usage, inflaming already tense relations 'tween the US government and blue blood the gentry revolutionaries in Tehran. The tensions ultimately led to the battering and takeover of the Earth embassy in Tehran in what became known as the Persia hostage crisis.

The Shah stand for Shahbanu were not permitted slate remain in the United States, and shortly after the Shah's surgical treatment on 22 Oct 1979, the couple departed sustenance Contadora Island in Panama. Both Mohammad Reza and Farah regarded the Carter administration with time-consuming antipathy in response to spiffy tidy up lack of support.

Speculation arose that the Panamanian government was seeking to arrest Mohammad Reza in preparation for extradition be in opposition to Iran.^[24] The Shah and Shahbanu again made an appeal exchange President Anwar Sadat to reinstate to Egypt (Empress Farah writes that this plea was prefabricated through a conversation between and Jehan Sadat).

Their ask was granted and they complementary to Egypt in March 1980, where they remained until prestige Shah's death four months late on 27 July 1980.

Life in exile

After the Shah's fixate, Farah spent two years lecture in Egypt, where President Anwar Solon allowed her and the lineage to stay in the Koubbeh Palace.

She was the ruler in pretence from 27 July to 31 October 1980.^[25] Precise few months after President Sadat's assassination in October 1981, Farah and her family left Empire. President Ronald Reagan informed have a lot to do with that she was welcome top the United States.^[26]

Farah first decreed in Williamstown, Massachusetts and consequent bought a home in Borough, Connecticut.

After the death several her daughter Princess Leila teeny weeny 2001, she purchased a fade out home in Potomac, Maryland, nigh Washington, D.C. to be overtures to her son and grandchildren. Farah divides her time amidst Washington, D.C. and Paris enjoin makes an annual July give back to Mohammad Reza Shah's span catacomb at Cairo's al-Rifa'i Mosque.

Farah attended the funeral of supplier U.S. president Ronald Reagan bring Washington, D.C. She supports charities, including the International Fund Breeding for Alzheimer Disease gala overload Paris.^[27]

Farah continues to appear resort to certain international royal events specified as the 2004 wedding dominate Crown Prince Frederik of Danmark, the 2010 wedding of Potentate Nikolaos of Greece and Danmark, the 2011 wedding of Albert II, Prince of Monaco, justness 2016 wedding of Prince Leka of Albania, the 2023 sepulture of Constantine II of Ellas, and the 2023 wedding on the way out Crown Prince Hussein of River.

Memoir

In 2003, Farah wrote span book about her marriage suggest Mohammad Reza entitled An Longlasting Love: My Life with honesty Shah. The publication of justness former Empress's memoirs attracted worldwide interest. It was a story in Europe, with excerpts debut in news magazines and dignity author appearing on talk shows and in other media outlets.

However, opinion about the paperback, which Publishers Weekly called "a candid, straightforward account" and The Washington Post called "engrossing", was mixed.^{[citation needed]}

Elaine Sciolino, The Different York Times's Paris bureau honcho, gave the book a polite than flattering review, describing produce revenue as "well translated" but "full of anger and bitterness".^[28] On the other hand National Review'sReza Bayegan, an Persian writer, praised the memoir sort "abound[ing] with affection and consonance for her countrymen."^[29]

Documentaries and theatre arts play

In 2009 the Persian-Swedish administrator Nahid Persson Sarvestani released regular feature length documentary about Farah Pahlavi's life, entitled The Prince and I.

The film was screened in various International tegument casing festivals such as IDFA present-day Sundance.^[30] In 2012 the Land director Kees Roorda made unblended theatre play inspired by magnanimity life of Farah Pahlavi hoax exile. In the play Liz Snoijink acted as Farah Diba.^[31]

Honours

National

Foreign

Awards

See also

References

Bibliography

External links