29 Facts About Farah Pahlavi

Farah Pahlavi is the widow of the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and was successively Queen and Empress of Iran from 1959 to 1979.

Farah Pahlavi was born into a prosperous family whose fortunes were diminished after her father's early death.

Farah Pahlavi worked for many charities, and founded Iran's first American-style university, enabling more women to become students in the country.

Farah Pahlavi facilitated the buying-back of Iranian antiquities from museums abroad.

Farah Pahlavi was the only child of Captain Sohrab Diba and his wife, Farideh Ghotbi.

Farah Pahlavi's own father was an officer in the Imperial Iranian Armed Forces and a graduate of the French Military Academy at St Cyr.

Farah Pahlavi wrote in her memoir that she had a close bond with her father, and his unexpected death in 1948 deeply affected her.

The young Farah Pahlavi Diba began her education at Tehran's Italian School, then moved to the French Jeanne d'Arc School until the age of sixteen and later to the Lycee Razi.

Farah Pahlavi was an athlete in her youth, becoming captain of her school's basketball team.

Farah Pahlavi Diba married Shah Mohammed Reza on 20 December 1959, aged 21.

Farah Pahlavi's gown was designed by Yves Saint Laurent, then a designer at the house of Dior, and she wore the newly commissioned Noor-ol-Ain Diamond tiara.

Mohammad Reza was always attracted to tall women and Farah Pahlavi was taller than her husband, which led him to wear elevator shoes to disguise this fact.

In 1961 during a visit to France, the Francophile Farah Pahlavi befriended the French culture minister Andre Malraux, leading her to arrange the exchange of cultural artifacts between French and Iranian art galleries and museums, a lively trade that continued until the Islamic revolution of 1979.

Farah Pahlavi spent much of her time attending the openings of various education and health-care institutions without venturing too deeply into controversial issues.

Farah Pahlavi used her proximity and influence with her husband, the Shah, to secure funding and focus attention on causes, particularly in the areas of women's rights and cultural development.

Farah Pahlavi's concerns were the "realms of education, health, culture and social matters" with politics being excluded from her purview.

Farah Pahlavi became one of the most highly visible figures in the Imperial Government and the patron of 24 educational, health and cultural organizations.

Farah Pahlavi's significance was exemplified by her part in the 1967 Coronation Ceremonies, where she was crowned as the first shahbanu of modern Iran.

Farah Pahlavi's ministry encouraged many forms of artistic expression, including traditional Iranian arts as well as Western theatre.

Farah Pahlavi's most recognized endeavour supporting the performing arts was her patronage of the Shiraz Arts Festival.

Farah Pahlavi wrote in her memoirs that during this time "there was an increasingly palpable sense of unease".

Farah Pahlavi was the regent in pretence from 27 July to 31 October 1980.

Farah Pahlavi first settled in Williamstown, Massachusetts, but later bought a home in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Farah Pahlavi attended the 11 June 2004 funeral of President Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, in Washington, DC.

Farah Pahlavi continues to appear at certain international royal events, such as the 2004 wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, the 2010 wedding of Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark, the 2011 wedding of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and the 2016 wedding of Crown Prince Leka II of Albania.

Farah Pahlavi currently has three grandchildren through her son Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran and his wife Yasmine.

Farah Pahlavi has one granddaughter through her late son Ali Reza Pahlavi and his companion Raha Didevar.

In 2003, Farah Pahlavi wrote a book about her marriage to Mohammad Reza entitled An Enduring Love: My Life with the Shah.

In 2009 the Persian-Swedish director Nahid Persson Sarvestani released a feature length documentary about Farah Pahlavi's life, entitled The Queen and I The film was screened in various International film festivals such as IDFA and Sundance.