A fairy tale with a sad ending; a woman whose convictions on the sanctity of marriage made

quite an impression on

me…

Soraya … A Lost Love

Soraya Esfandiary (1932 - 2001) was the second

wife and Queen consort of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the

last Shah of Iran

Chosen from a photograph at the age of 16 to perpetuate the Pahlavi Dynasty, In the summer of 1950 she was

introduced to Mohammad Reza Pahlevi. They fell in love and the engagement was celebrated in October. Soraya marries

the Shah of Iran in Teheran in 1951.

Soraya, the princess with the sad eyes .

A sudden illness prevented the wedding

from taking place on the set date; unknown to

anyone this illness had made

her infertile.

The shah & Soraya, in happier

times

Unable to provide an heir to the peacock throne, the royal couple

was forced to divorce amidst the country’s political intrigues and international crisis due to the nationalisation of the Iranian Oil.

Granted the style and title ,Her Imperial Highness the Princess Soraya of Iran, the former queen moved to France.

She started a movie career and fell I love with an Italian director,

Franco Indovina…

With her brother Bijan in later years

After the death of Indovina in a plane crash, she spent the remainder of her life unhappily, by her own admission, wandering through Europe, buying

antiques and couture, appearing at social events in a desultory fashion.

Grief stricken, Soraya died in 2001 atthe age of 69.

Her body was taken to Germany on Friday 16th of November and buried in her family tomb in the cemetery of Westfriedhof, Munich.

As a young girl, Soraya had pictures of some movie stars framed, in addition to a photo of the young Shah. She would tell all her friends and

cousins that one day she will either become an actress or marry the king. Both aspirations became realities but none brought her lasting happiness.

An Italian-German television film on Soraya's life is currently being shot in Turkey and Bulgaria

with Italian model Anna Valle in the title role and German actor of Turkish descent, Erol Sander, as the Shah of Iran which confirms the fascination

of the former Princess' destiny and extraordinary beauty till exert on filmmakers to

this day. 

Torn between Love and Duty : The Shah (Erol Sander) and Soraya (Anna Valle)

Farah ( Diba) Pahlavi, Empress of Iranis the widow and third wife of Mohammad Reza

Pahlavi (the late Shah of Iran) and the only Shahbanu (Empress) of modern

Iran, and the woman who replaced Soraya.

The Shah’s children by his 3rd wife , Farah,

~ Leila, Ali Reza,Farahnaz & Reza

JUNE 2001Princess Leila Pahlavi, 31,The youngest daughter

of the late Shah of Iran was found dead

in a bedroom at a London hotel.

~ Obituary ~

The former Crown Prince,Reza Pahlavi;

with his family

Trinityblu2009