The love story between the last Shah of Persia and his third wife was considered something that could belong in “A Thousand and One Nights”, according to journalists of the time.
After the fall of the Iranian monarchy, the Pahlavi family, once the imperial family, experienced a period of misery and turmoil. This period led to the death of the Shah and the premature death of his two children, who lived in the shadow of depression.
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The love story between the last Shah of Persia and his third wife was considered something that could belong in “A Thousand and One Nights”, according to journalists of the time.
In May 1959, during an official trip to France, Mohammad Reza Chah Pahlavi, already eighteen years on the throne of Iran, met Farah Diba, a young architecture student who had left her native Tehran , to live in Paris.
In a very short time, just six months later, their engagements were announced. Their wedding was also arranged in a hasty manner and took place on December 21.
The Shah had already been married twice before. His first wife was Princess Fauzia of Egypt, who had a dazzling appearance reminiscent of a Hollywood star.
His second wife was the beautiful Soraya Esfandari. Neither of these two women was able to provide him with the desired heir, and both of their marriages ended in divorce.
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Having an heir was the big responsibility of the new royal wife, Farah Pahlavi.
Less than a year after her marriage to the Shah, Farah gave birth on October 31, 1960 to a son, Reza, who in the future would become the next heir to the throne of Persia. Three more children followed, Farahnaz in 1963, Ali-Reza in 1966 and Leila in 1970. Farah managed to break the negative cycle and bring hope for the survival of the Pahlavi imperial family.
The life of the imperial family was full of romance and wealth, with their daily lives involving many destinations. Among them, Persepolis, where the throne of Persia was located, Saint-Moritz in Switzerland for winter sports and their palace on the Caspian Sea for summer holidays.
However, over time, the Shah lost the support of the Shiite clergy due to his modernizing policies and his approach to Israel. At the same time, authoritarian rule, secret police activity, corruption and Western influence in the country’s politics caused social unrest that manifested itself in the Iranian Revolution. However, the most important concern for the family was the serious illness of the Shah himself.
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In 1974, the Shah received a serious diagnosis: incurable cancer. Despite his deteriorating health, he kept his illness a secret for many years. By 1978, his condition had deteriorated significantly. While his country was in a state of rebellion, he was weak and unable to intervene or make decisions. Sinking into his chair, he watched the events without being able to react.
On February 12, 1979, after many months of struggle, Iran’s monarchy collapsed and the country became an Islamic Republic led by Ayatollah Khomeini.
This development led to the exile of the imperial family, as it became undesirable in many countries.
The Shah, who was seriously ill, continued to be alive. On July 27, 1980, the Shah breathed his last in Cairo. Although his family wished to bury him in Iran, this was not allowed. So the friend of the family, the prime minister of Egypt, organized a lavish funeral for the deceased, worthy of the grandeur of a ruler.
After the Shah’s death, his son, Reza, only 20 years old at the time, took over the leadership of the family and the struggle for the regained throne in Iran. To this day, the whereabouts of the large fortune held by the family in deposits and cash remains unknown.
Farah Pahlavi left for Paris, where she lives to this day. It always remains beautiful and elegant, while maintaining strong popularity in the world of elite circuits. The family continues to face misfortune during the exile. In addition to the constant threats to their lives.
Leila, the youngest daughter in the family, completed her studies at Brown University and pursued a career as a model for Valentino. However, behind her shine and smile, she experienced many hardships. Suffering from depression and a nervous illness, Leila Pahlavi was found dead in a London hotel at the age of 31, having overdosed on barbiturates.
Ten years later, Ali-Reza, the youngest son, followed the same tragic path. He was found dead in his home in Boston, in a pool of blood, having committed suicide with a gun.
Their older brother, Reza Pahlavi, managed to escape this dark fate. He studied political science in America and founded the National Council of Iran, a shadow government in exile, in which he has assumed the role of chairman. He lives permanently in Washington, USA, devoted to the issues of his homeland, despite the fact that almost forty years have passed since he has seen Iran.
Reza Pahlavi continues to claim the throne of Persia and is active in politics, working to bring about democratic change in his country.
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Source :Skai
I am Frederick Tuttle, who works in 247 News Agency as an author and mostly cover entertainment news. I have worked in this industry for 10 years and have gained a lot of experience. I am a very hard worker and always strive to get the best out of my work. I am also very passionate about my work and always try to keep up with the latest news and trends.
