Soraya Estafandiary: Queen and later Princess of Iran (1932-2001)


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As a Farah loyalist ;) I feel somewhat torn in this discussion. I think that definitely the Shah and Soraya loved each other deeply, but the circumstances of the need for an heir overrode that. He may not have *loved* Farah with quite the intensity, at least at first, but I believe as the years passed his feelings for her grew into respect and admiration as well as love. I am 100% convinced that Farah will love the Shah until the day she dies.
 
Queen Malka said:
I find it contrary, I think he was the happiest while married to Soraya. His marriage to Farah, although a sucessful one, was nothing compared to the love between him and Soraya because it was of 'first love' quality in which all innocence prevailed. They were divorced because of reasons of state. And when he announced it to the public, he openly cried while doing so. Pictures are like illusions, and can be very deceiving. Remember Princess Diana and Prince Charles? Everyone thought they were so happy, while having no idea of what was going beneath the fairy-tale.
Throughout their marriage, the Shah and Farah were always haunted by rumours that they were thinking of divorce. When he was married to Soraya, all you heard were stories of how much they loved each other and how much his duties of a King burdened that love.

But then again, its just my opinion.
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For me, pictures takes a glimpse of reality, ever if they doesn't show the whole reality. When I'm sad or tired, that could be noticed in a pic, and when I'm really happy it would show too! Charles and Diana photos didn't show a happy couple...Diana always had a sad, depressed face in them, and in the first one, she was unsure of her feelings and this is also noticeable in the engagement pics. She only was very happy when her children appeared near her. When she loved Dodi Al-Fayed her face was also enlightened in pics, as well as Charles being near Camilla.

But again...Since I doesn't know much about Shah's feelings toward Farah it could be that you are right and that the love of her life was Soraya. Maybe he was only happy because now he had four children . However, I share Jackswife's opinion: when years passed, the Shah's must have loved Farah.

Nevetheless, Princess Fawzi keep being a mystery for me: Did the Shah and her love each other or it was a mere "state marriage"?

Vanesa.
 
Vanesa said:
Nevetheless, Princess Fawzi keep being a mystery for me: Did the Shah and her love each other or it was a mere "state marriage"?

Vanesa.
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According to published sources, their marriage was arranged because Shah Reza (Mohammed Reza's father) wanted to increase his family's status and thought Fawzia would be both a suitable bride and political ally in Egypt. King Farouk saw opportunities to get his hands on Iranian oil. The couple was definitely attracted to each other after exchanged photographs, not surprising since both the future Shah and Fawzia were very physically attractive people.
 
EmpressRouge said:
According to published sources, their marriage was arranged because Shah Reza (Mohammed Reza's father) wanted to increase his family's status and thought Fawzia would be both a suitable bride and political ally in Egypt. King Farouk saw opportunities to get his hands on Iranian oil. The couple was definitely attracted to each other after exchanged photographs, not surprising since both the future Shah and Fawzia were very physically attractive people.
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Yes, my sources claim the same thing. However, as Egypt withdrew from the Iranian political scene, so did Fawzia. You should read more from Princess Fawzia's thread to find out more.
 
 
Excellent pics as ever, Aryan! Congratulations to finding them.

As for Findagrave, I'm a fan of this website. There, you'll find a note of mine at Soraya's thread. But I was very surprised when I read that murder or suicide was suspected to have been possible causes of Soraya's death. I knew that apoplexy was the official cause of it, but not that some people suspected otherwise...Hmmm.

Vanesa.:confused:
 
eh? what do u mean that she was suspected of either being murdered or suicide? who would want to murder her and why would she want to commit suicide?
 
xtan said:
eh? what do u mean that she was suspected of either being murdered or suicide? who would want to murder her and why would she want to commit suicide?
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Much of it is speculation. I don't know why someone would want to murder Soraya, but I would believe it if proven that she had committed suicide. She was known to be a depressive, and had a huge drinking problem as well. But on her cousin's website, it is stated that Soraya died of brain hemorage and was found by her maid.
 
Hi everyone,
I like princess Soraya very much and I have a lot of picture of her, read her biographie en saw her film.
But I'm very curious about one thing: I heard that she has a daughter. Is this true???
 
Only speculation; nothing was ever proven. "They say" she had a daughter after her divorce from the shah and placed the baby up for adoption.
Again, rumour. But if true, that would be ironic considering her divorce from the Shah was caused by infertility
 
altagrace said:
Only speculation; nothing was ever proven. "They say" she had a daughter after her divorce from the shah and placed the baby up for adoption.
Again, rumour. But if true, that would be ironic considering her divorce from the Shah was caused by infertility
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I read her biographie. Princess Soraya wrote in her book that she was able to have children. Her Blood type was not compatible to the Shah of Iran Blood type. I think it's a matter of destiny.

Here are some pictures from internet of her Daughter. If she is really her daugter. I'm not sure.

http://www.avairan.com/fotoprinss.jpg

http://www.avairan.com/fotoprices2.jpg

http://www.avairan.com/fotoprices3.jpg

http://www.avairan.com/fotoprices4.jpg

http://www.avairan.com/fotoprices3.jpg

She looks like princess Soraya.


 
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Of course she's not her daughter. Had Soraya given birth, regardless if it was a girl or not the Shah would not have divorced her. Divorce was given on grounds of her infertility. Had she given birth to a girl, surely there would have been hope that she could possibly give birth to a boy. She was infertile, and even so when later in her life when she was planning to marry Franco Indovina she said in an interview that she was seeing doctors to see if she "still had a chance".
 
Anyone have any more pictures to share? I'm pretty sure that I have seen or acquired them all. Its sad that we can no longer view new photos.
 
xtan said:
eh? what do u mean that she was suspected of either being murdered or suicide? who would want to murder her and why would she want to commit suicide?
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I vaguely recall from those chaotic years after the Imperial family escaped from Iran that the new government put a price on the heads of all the members of the imperial family, incluiding Soraya's. I remember that the article I read (and, at risk of dating myself here, I'm talking over 20 years ago) Soraya informed the press she was surprised the Ayatollah wanted her death since she was not even part of the family since her divorce. I don't know what happened afterwards but since the Shah's death seems that the family became more relaxed in their outings, so maybe after the Ayatollah died the order to track them down and kill them was removed (?)

On the assumed daugther, she is pretty and looks like her in bone structure. But it takes more than look alikes to prove she was her daugther. There is even a thread of royals that look like celebrities and viceversa that shows everyone has a look-alike somewhere in the planet. Is there any more information available on her?
 
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Thank you for the interesting pics.

As for the matter of " Princess Soraya's daughter" today we have a good method (if not manipulated) to know if she is or not who she claims to be: DNA proof. Did this lady asked for a DNA proof on her? Here, in Argentina, we have a woman who claims she is Peron's daughter (she is very similar to him, indeed). The first thing she did is to ask for a DNA proof. Only a week ago, justice accorded this right to her, and tissue's samples from Peron's body were taken as well as samples of her blood. So, the lady who claims to be Princess Soraya's daughter can do the same...Isn't it? :rolleyes:

Vanesa.
 
 
She was definitely one of the all-time great beauties of the world in my eyes, and her story has all the elements of love and tragedy. Gorgeous.:flowers:
 
Jackswife said:
She was definitely one of the all-time great beauties of the world in my eyes, and her story has all the elements of love and tragedy. Gorgeous.:flowers:
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so correctly said! she was without doubt one of the most beautiful women in the the world in all times!
 
Soraya:what was her character like?

Well we laud and praise her beauty. But what was her character like i wonder?
what was the level of education and culture Princess Soraya had?
did she do charity work?
Did she have substance and was she kind body and soul or are we talkinging about the exterior without looking inside because we are so awed. by the physicality.
what was Princess Soraya like as a person?
 
Suspected things

Toledo said:
I vaguely recall from those chaotic years after the Imperial family escaped from Iran that the new government put a price on the heads of all the members of the imperial family, incluiding Soraya's. I remember that the article I read (and, at risk of dating myself here, I'm talking over 20 years ago) Soraya informed the press she was surprised the Ayatollah wanted her death since she was not even part of the family since her divorce. I don't know what happened afterwards but since the Shah's death seems that the family became more relaxed in their outings, so maybe after the Ayatollah died the order to track them down and kill them was removed (?)

On the assumed daugther, she is pretty and looks like her in bone structure. But it takes more than look alikes to prove she was her daugther. There is even a thread of royals that look like celebrities and viceversa that shows everyone has a look-alike somewhere in the planet. Is there any more information available on her?
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In her last days God bless her Soraya did look depessed and bloated. I saw it in a magazine. I was appalled. That telling sadness had caught up and was showing in her eyes. I have innumerable pictures and she ususally wore a burgundy gown with Turquise stone on gulubund necklace these from Iran which produced the best stones at one point..{which is so the vogue now}
She was going to marry Maxmillian Schell at one point. I think it was just her time .God called her and away she went to become one of his angels.
 
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