Princess Irene (1942-), sister of King Constantine

[*SofiaM*]

Apparently Irene is currently in Mallorca with Juan Carlos and Sofia... but I can't see her on any of the photos. Unless of course I'm going blind. Do you know if there are any pictures of her from Mallorca?
thanks!
Sofia

[dakodas]

Irene is such a lovely name. It means "peace". There was a Princess Irene of Hesse as well.

[fanletizia]

Cayetana cleared the fiancè to the sister of Reina Sofía

The book of memories of Antonio the Bailarin told the Duchess of Alba, Cayetana, put its eyes in Jesus Aguirre to annoy to Irene of Greece: "This gentleman (Jesus Aguirre) seems to be that he walked behind the sister of Reina, the pianista, Irene. Cayetana knows the importance that it has and the force that can have dice in a while. One was interested in this gentleman for that reason, because he was interested in Irene of Greece ".

http://www.elsemanaldigital.com/arts/50214.asp

[elenaris]

Thank ypui for such a info, Fanlztizia!

[Lady Bluffton]

I've seen photos of Irene with really deep scars in her face. Can anyone tell me where these scars came from? Acne, disease, what? Or am I imagining things?

[iannis]

Some quotes taken from an interview of Princess Irene's at the "Bimagazino" magazine some years ago, which has interviewed King Constantine as well, and can answer some of the questions set in this thread:

"Who would want to marry a crazy woman like me who runs here and there?"

"Our parents used to remind us (her and her siblings) that we are not something really important"

"Why should I regret not having children? The children of the whole world are my children"

Amazing person, isn't she?

[Jaya]

Princess Irene, I heard has a vast house or
apartment in Madras, India and has done enormous
amounts of philanthropic work there. She strikes me as a sensible lady, a lady of practicality and one with a vision of the bigger picture; the greater scheme of things.
It is not sad that she does not have children because of the
three siblings of Queen Frederika and King Pavlos
perhaps Irene was the only one to know
the"absolute" love of her mother and father.having known that love would make her overflowing and not ambitious to have her own children necessarily.
Princess Irene always appears happy and healthy and that suffices for me.

[Jaya]

Originally Posted by elenaris

I'd justi like to know why Princess Irene of Greece ( Constantine and Sodia'as sister) never got Married??
E.

Put yourself in the position of Princess Irene.
Getting married is like trying to win the lottery, especially if you are a Princess. I think she has been smart in never marrying although there have been rumours at various times to the contrary.Princess Irene is committed to philanthropic works etc I believe.Probably she never met the "one" that she was certain of. I think the Princess is very shrewd that way.
My wish is that Princesss Irene would write a book and tell
us what happened from her standpoint in her eventful and meritorious life.

[Jaya]

Originally Posted by Lady Bluffton

I've seen photos of Irene with really deep scars in her face. Can anyone tell me where these scars came from? Acne, disease, what? Or am I imagining things?

I think the camera is picking up deep sun lines which get exaggerated photogenically.
Princess Irene does not look like she has had a face lift and has the courage to "own" her face. It tells a story. I love that about her.
She is an accomplished musician did you know that?

[adelaide]

Originally Posted by Jaya

I think the camera is picking up deep sun lines which get exaggerated photogenically.
Princess Irene does not look like she has had a face lift and has the courage to "own" her face. It tells a story. I love that about her.
She is an accomplished musician did you know that?

If the PrincessIrene had learnt piano -as I read in a post above-,withe nadia Boulanger very famous French pianist soloist, it does mean she is herself very good pianist

[Jaya]

Originally Posted by adelaide

If the PrincessIrene had learnt piano -as I read in a post above-,withe nadia Boulanger very famous French pianist soloist, it does mean she is herself very good pianist

Nadia Boulanger well that takes me back as I had met her a couple of times. Princess Irene has studied comparative religion in India and written books on archeology .those are described on the royal greek website.She is very accomplished. Probably she can READ sanskrit !!!!!!!! we are talking about a quatam leap in languages. I wish she would write an autobiography.Princess Irene is the royal of substance, the phenomenon.

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by elenaris

Has a possible "fiancé" ever been known to princess Ireni ?

In 1976 Point de Vue speculated that Irene might become engaged to Don Gonzalo de Borbon y Dampierre, a first cousin of Irene's brother-in-law Juan Carlos.

Does anyone know if there was actually a relationship between the two?

[Philippe Egalite']

Originally Posted by adelaide

If the PrincessIrene had learnt piano -as I read in a post above-,withe nadia Boulanger very famous French pianist soloist, it does mean she is herself very good pianist

Princess Irene is an exceptional and very spiritual person. There are few people who are aware of the fact that from 1964 (from the day of her father's death) to 1965 (upon the birth of princess Alexia) she was the Diadoch, ie the Crown Princess of Greece.

Princess Irene (Yriny, in fact) is a very good pianist. She studied with the famous Greek concert pianist Gina Bachauer for many years and used to play a quatre mains with her in concert. Gina Bachauer (1913-1976) is also the name (after her) of an International Piano Competition which gives young pianists the opportunity to study at Brigham Young University.

There is no Greek, even among staunch antimonarchists, who has ever uttered anything negative or derrogatory about her, which says it all about this fine lady.

[H.M. Margrethe]

Originally Posted by Philippe Egalite'

Princess Irene is an exceptional and very spiritual person. There are few people who are aware of the fact that from 1964 (from the day of her father's death) to 1965 (upon the birth of princess Alexia) she was the Diadoch, ie the Crown Princess of Greece.

Princess Irene (Yriny, in fact) is a very good pianist. She studied with the famous Greek concert pianist Gina Bachauer for many years and used to play a quatre mains with her in concert. Gina Bachauer (1913-1976) is also the name (after her) of an International Piano Competition which gives young pianists the opportunity to study at Brigham Young University.

There is no Greek, even among staunch antimonarchists, who has ever uttered anything negative or derrogatory about her, which says it all about this fine lady.

I am currius...why was princess Irene CrownPrincess when her brother King Konstantin had married Queen Annemarie ?

[Philippe Egalite']

Originally Posted by H.M. Margrethe

I am currius...why was princess Irene CrownPrincess when her brother King Konstantin had married Queen Annemarie ?

That he got married is of no import here. Until he and Anne-Marie had their first chlid, the presumed Heir to the Throne was Princess Yriny.

Upon the death of King Paul, in March 1964, Diadoch Constantine became King and Princess Yriny presumed Crown Princess. King Constantine married in Septmeber of that year and he and Anne-Marie had their first child during late 1965, that was Alexia. Upon her birth, Alexia became the presumed Diadoch until the birth of her first brother, that is, Paul.

Let me give you another example to make it better understood. If, say, King Constantine, after his wedding to Anne-Marie, lost his life, before he had the chance to father children, his youngest sister, Princess Yriny would have become sovereign queen of Greece and Anne-Marie the queen dowager. If Constantine became unavailable while Anne-Marie was pregnant, then upon its birth, the child, whether boy or girl, would have become king or queen (but with regency until his/her coming of age).

By the way, the succession system in Greece, then, was cognatic primogeniture (that is, male preference over eldrer sisters but allowing females to become sovereigns in the unavailability of brothers or offspings thereof) as is still the case in Denmark, Great Britain and Spain.

[*SofiaM*]

Thanks for that Philippe Egalite. I've said it before and I say it again, I wish that there was more information available about Princess Irene. She seems such an interesting lady.

By the way, she is now in Mallorca with King Juan Carlos and her sister, Queen Sofía:
picture
(Source:isifa)

[H.M. Margrethe]

Originally Posted by Philippe Egalite'

That he got married is of no import here. Until he and Anne-Marie had their first chlid, the presumed Heir to the Throne was Princess Yriny.

Upon the death of King Paul, in March 1964, Diadoch Constantine became King and Princess Yriny presumed Crown Princess. King Constantine married in Septmeber of that year and he and Anne-Marie had their first child during late 1965, that was Alexia. Upon her birth, Alexia became the presumed Diadoch until the birth of her first brother, that is, Paul.

Let me give you another example to make it better understood. If, say, King Constantine, after his wedding to Anne-Marie, lost his life, before he had the chance to father children, his youngest sister, Princess Yriny would have become sovereign queen of Greece and Anne-Marie the queen dowager. If Constantine became unavailable while Anne-Marie was pregnant, then upon its birth, the child, whether boy or girl, would have become king or queen (but with regency until his/her coming of age).

By the way, the succession system in Greece, then, was cognatic primogeniture (that is, male preference over eldrer sisters but allowing females to become sovereigns in the unavailability of brothers or offspings thereof) as is still the case in Denmark, Great Britain and Spain.

I see

[*SofiaM*]

Princess Irene also recently attended the baptism of Infanta Sofia of Spain in Madrid:
Picture. (2nd from right)

I thought I'd also post some photos of her from the last few years.

Queen Sofía, Princess Letizia and Princess Irene. Mallorca 2004.
Concert in Madrid.
Watching a sailing event with Queen Sofía and Infanta Cristina. Mallorca.
Christmas concert. Madrid 2002.


Older photograph:
Irene, Constantine, Sofia 'Mon Repos' Palace, Corfu.


(Getty, ANP, isifa)

[ladejesus]

Originally Posted by ...sOfIa....

Older photograph:
Irene, Constantine, Sofia 'Mon Repos' Palace, Corfu.

What a great picture! Do you know when it was taken?

[Philippe Egalite']

Originally Posted by ladejesus

What a great picture! Do you know when it was taken?

Judging by their faces, the style and pattern of the dresses, and knowing the years of their respective births, I came up with the educated guess 1956 or 1957.