Princess Irene (1942-), sister of King Constantine

[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.

Originally Posted by 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?

All of her answers were exuding depth and wisdom. I was also impressed by her tenacity and magnanimous acceptance of the conclusion of the tragedy, "what happened had been destined to happen".
I believe that the involvement with music and philosophy has helped her to become an exceptional human being.

[*SofiaM*]

Originally Posted by Philippe Egalite'

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.

You're right. It was taken in 1957

Something interesting the caption says is:
''Left to right are: Princess Irene, Crown Prince Constantine, wearing Naval Cadet uniform, and Princess Sophie. Prince Constantine joined his two sisters from his training-ship 'Armatolo' which has just sailed from Hamburg. There are rumours in Greece that Princess Sophie is to wed the Duke of Kent.''

How times have changed!

[ladejesus]

Thank you Phillipe Egalite and sOfIa. I had never heard that rumor! Very interesting.

[Philippe Egalite']

Originally Posted by ...sOfIa....

You're right. It was taken in 1957

Something interesting the caption says is:
''Left to right are: Princess Irene, Crown Prince Constantine, wearing Naval Cadet uniform, and Princess Sophie. Prince Constantine joined his two sisters from his training-ship 'Armatolo' which has just sailed from Hamburg. There are rumours in Greece that Princess Sophie is to wed the Duke of Kent.''

How times have changed!

That might have been possible since princess Marina (dowager duchess of Kent), daughter of prince Nikolaos of Greece, was first cousin of king Paul and wanted her children to marry princes princesses of the blood.
What was widely publicized in the 60's was that queen Frederika and king Olav wanted princess Irene to marry prince Harald.

[Warren]

Sounds very much like the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburgs were doing their best to emulate the dynastic successes of the Saxe-Coburg-Gothas!

[*SofiaM*]

Originally Posted by Philippe Egalite'

What was widely publicized in the 60's was that queen Frederika and king Olav wanted princess Irene to marry prince Harald.

Of Norway? I thought Princess Sophie, (Sofia), wanted to marry him. Or was that just a passing interest?

I've got to say I know nothing about todays royals when they were younger. So it's fascinating to read what you have to say!

[Philippe Egalite']

Originally Posted by ...sOfIa....

Of Norway? I thought Princess Sophie, (Sofia), wanted to marry him. Or was that just a passing interest?

I've got to say I know nothing about todays royals when they were younger. So it's fascinating to read what you have to say!

Who knows, Sofia.
As you know, I am sure, the matchmaking started during the much publicized, famous cruise aboard the luxurious Agamemnon, that queen Frederika organized in 1954. I believe this was the first time that princess Sophia met Juan Carlos and, I guess, this was the only gain from the notorious cruise, as far as queen Frederika was concerned.

On the other hand, the monetary and, worse, the subsequent political cost and loss were immense.

[Philippe Egalite']

Originally Posted by Warren

Sounds very much like the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburgs were doing their best to emulate the dynastic successes of the Saxe-Coburg-Gothas!

Absolutely.
Have you ever thought of the fact that of the six children of king Constantine I and queen Sophia of the Hellenes, five (83.33%) became sovereigns or consorts to sovereigns or were constitutionally styled Majesties:

HM king Alexander of the Hellenes
HM king George II of the Hellenes
HM king Paul of the Hellenes
HM Queen-Mother Helen of Romania ["Regina Mama" by Law, 1940-1947]
Yriny, transiently Queen of Croatia [1941-43, during Musollini's fascism]

How about that!

[ilias of john]

Yes but three of them,the boys, were Kings of the Hellenes due to forced exiles, monkey bites and political instability's

[Warren]

The context was dynastic achievement, and the point was that four (and if we include the "Queen of Croatia", five) of Constantine's children became Majesties of sorts.