Saturday, September 29, 2012

The Last Empresses of Iran

A photographic look at the three wives of the last Shah of Iran starting with Queen Fawzia (a Princess of Egypt) then Queen Soraya (an Iranian aristocrat) both of whose marriages ended in divorce and finally the Empress Farah Diba (also a native Iranian) who survived him. The title of "Empress" was unknown in Iran until the coronation of Farah Diba when she was given the equivalent title "Shahbanu" by her husband. Prior to that time the consorts of the Shah were known as "Queen". As of today Princess Fawzia and Empress Farah are still alive while Queen Soraya died in 2001 in France.