On the 40th Anniversary of the Iranian
Revolution, an Exiled Queen is Remembered
The life of royals is often coveted, for all we see is chic titles and extravagance. But while being royal can be tantamount to a life of luxury and social status, the expensive facades cannot always obscure the calamity that comes with it.
Farah Diba, the exiled Shahbanu, empress consort, of Iran, exemplifies a royal figure whose life has been delineated by both prosperity and tragedy. Born to an affluent family of politicians and diplomats in 1938, Farah enjoyed an easy childhood until her father’s sudden death when she was only 9, and that disrupted the family financially.
Shah of Iran, Mohamed Reza, posing w. son Prince Reza & wife Farah wearing crown jewels & embroidered robes during coronation - Getty Images
While pursuing her education in Paris, she met the Shah Mohammad Reza at the Iranian Embassy, and upon her return to Tehran, they became engaged in 1959. A month later, the Shah married Farah and she was known around the world as “the young Queen of Iran”.
Her mesmerizing, heavily-embroidered wedding gown was designed by the exceptional Yves Saint Laurent. She also wore the Noor-ol-Ain tiara, the most impressive piece in the Iranian imperial collection, which contained one of the world's largest and most expensive pink diamonds.
Rendezvous With The Imperial Family Of The Shah And Farah Diba, 15 Days Prior To The Coronation. Téhéran- octobre 1967 - Getty Images
The royal couple enjoyed a life of profligacy, and the 2500th anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire was to be celebrated as “the biggest party on Earth”, as the Shah had described it. He and Farah hired French architects and decorators to design 50 tent-looking suites for the royal guests. A year was needed for the tent city to be built, and 50,000 songbirds were flown in from Europe for the occasion. The Shah also ordered 18 tons of food 3 days prior to the party, and the owner of Maxim’s in Paris, the best restaurant in the world at the time, was called in to manage the banquet preparations. Prince Philip of Britain, Princess Grace of Monaco, the Emperor of Ethiopia, and the American Vice President were among the 500 royal guests. The “most extravagant party in the world” cost between 300 million and 2 billion Swiss francs.
During the coronation of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as Shah of Iran with Queen Farah Pahlavi in Tehran, Iran on 26th October 1967 - Getty Images
Empress Farah’s lavish lifestyle and possessions created an aura of extravagance around her figure; she had become one of the world’s most sumptuous queens. Yet at the same time, she also used her position to engage in promoting social work and the emancipation of women. The young beauty was head of 24 educational, health, cultural, and charity organizations; she wanted to make different services accessible to the less fortunate whom she visited herself to inquire about their needs and aspirations. These local citizens liked to call her “The Empress of Hearts”.
The Shahbanu’s keen eye for art and culture was a motive behind Iran’s cultural movements at the time as she provided the incentives for artistic activities and museums to prosper. That was also when the exchange of cultural artifacts between Iranian and French galleries flourished. Furthermore, the Queen prioritized the role of women in Iran, and founded the Pahlavi University to improve their education in the country.
Farah Diba during the launching of her latest book about modern art in Iran
The Queen was so diligent and proficient at what she did that the Shah named her his official regent if he were to die before his eldest son turned 21. That in and of itself was revolutionary, as it was unconventional for a woman to be named regent in a Muslim or Middle Eastern country.
However, their years of glory were to come to an end. By early 1978, contempt and dissatisfaction towards the imperial government had become louder, and demonstrations against the monarchy had increased. Eventually the riots spread, the violence escalated, and the political tension exacerbated, so the Shah and Farah were forced to leave Iran.
Farah Diba (Pahlavi), ex-Empress of Iran, on the red carpet of the Prince's Palace of Monaco, for the religious wedding of Prince Albert and Princess Char - Abaca
The couple first sought asylum in Egypt, but due to fears of what the Revolutionary Government in Iran could do, the couple left Egypt. They settled briefly in several countries, but later stayed in the U.S. so that the ill Shah could receive the necessary treatment. That, nevertheless, created new tensions between Iran and the U.S., so they were no longer granted permission to remain there.
They left for Panama where they stayed for a while before going back to Egypt, where the Shah passed away in 1980. Deeply anguished by her husband’s departure, Farah decided to remain in Egypt. But President Sadat’s assassination in 1981 forced her to return to the U.S. She now divides her time between her 2 homes of Paris, where she feels artistically fulfilled, and Maryland, where she remains close to her grandchildren.
As if living in exile and losing her husband hadn’t caused enough agony to the Shahbanu, Farah still had to endure the loss of 2 of her children. Her daughter, Leila, died after overdosing on sleeping pills in 2001 while her youngest son, Ali Reza, committed suicide in 2011 after struggling with depression for several years. The Empress claims her children were haunted by the grim memories of the Revolution and were tormented by a life in exile. Yet, Farah knew she could not succumb to the affliction which had consumed her, and instead lift herself up and managed to persevere in spite of her aching heart.
The Pahlavi family celebrates the birthday of the former empress - yasminepahlavi
Although her life was filled with turbulence, and many supporters of the Revolution still view her as a traitor and a woman who conspired against her own people, the Iranians who remained loyal to the Shah still consider Farah as their queen and her son as the legitimate heir to the throne. She is still loved by many of the world’s leaders and has retained her position as a revered socialite. The Empress has even attended various royal international events, such as the 2004 wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, the 2010 wedding of Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark, and the 2011 wedding of Albert II, Prince of Monaco.
Farah Diba, the last Empress of Iran, remains the epitome of a loyal, assiduous, perseverant, and loving woman whose devotion to her husband and homeland must never fade into oblivion.
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