Net Worth: $200 Million
Category: Richest Politicians › Royals
Birthdate: October 14, 1938 (86 years old)
Gender: Female
Nationality: United States of America
Overview
Farah Pahlavi is the former Queen and Empress of Iran. Married to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, she held the title of Empress from 1959 until the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Known for her advocacy for cultural development, education, and women’s rights, Farah was the first and only Empress of modern Iran. Despite the loss of much of the royal family’s wealth after their exile, she remains one of the most prominent figures in Iranian history.
Early Life and Education
- Birthplace: Tehran, Iran.
- Parents:
- Captain Sohrab Diba (father), an officer in the Iranian Armed Forces.
- Farideh Ghotbi (mother).
- Education:
- Studied at Tehran’s Italian and French schools (Jeanne d’Arc School and Lycée Razi).
- Pursued architecture at Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris, under Albert Besson.
- Personal Challenges:
- Lost her father at age 10, forcing the family to move to more modest accommodations.
Role as Empress of Iran
Farah married Mohammad Reza Pahlavi on December 20, 1959. She quickly became a prominent figure in Iran due to her extensive public work.
Key Contributions:
- Education and Health Initiatives:
- Founded Pahlavi University to improve education for women in Iran.
- Championed health care and education by supporting numerous institutions.
- Cultural Advocacy:
- Established cultural exchanges between Iran and France, including art and museum artifacts.
- Encouraged Iran’s art scene and highlighted its cultural heritage globally.
- Humanitarian Efforts:
- Patron of 24 educational, health, and cultural organizations.
- Worked to uplift remote communities across Iran.
Achievements:
- First woman named as regent in Iran, in case the Shah died before the Crown Prince’s 21st birthday.
- Became a symbol of modernity and humanitarian progress during the 1960s and early 1970s.
Exile and Later Life
The Iranian Revolution in 1979 forced the royal family to flee Iran, leading to years of displacement:
- Countries of Residence:
- Egypt, Morocco, the Bahamas, Mexico, and later the United States (on Ronald Reagan’s invitation).
- Losses:
- The Pahlavi family’s vast wealth, including assets of the Pahlavi Foundation, was seized by the new Iranian government.
- Personal Struggles:
- The Shah passed away in 1980 from illness.
- Farah experienced public criticism for the family’s pre-revolutionary extravagance.
Personal Life
- Marriage: Married the Shah at 21; their wedding was a high-profile event featuring a gown by Yves Saint Laurent.
- Children:
- Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi (b. 1960).
- Princess Farahnaz (b. 1963), Prince Ali-Reza (b. 1966), Princess Leila (b. 1970).
Memoir and Documentary:
- Wrote a memoir titled “An Enduring Love: My Life with the Shah” in 2003, which became a bestseller in Europe.
- Featured in “The Queen and I” (2009), a documentary by Persian-Swedish director Nahid Persson Sarvestani.
Legacy
Farah Pahlavi is remembered for her pivotal role in modernizing Iran and advocating for women’s rights and education. Her life, marked by both immense privilege and significant challenges, continues to inspire discussions about the role of royalty in societal progress.
