1. Princess Irina of Greece and Denmark, formerly Irene, marquise de Monleon, was a white emigre who married the anthropologist Prince Peter of Greece and Denmark and assisted him in his research.
17 Facts About Irina Ovtchinnikova
1. 2.
Irina Ovtchinnikova's paternal grandfather Pavel Akimovich Ovchinnikov was the owner of the factory which supplied the Imperial Court with golden items, was an honorary citizen of Moscow and a Speaker of the Moscow City Duma.
3.
Irina Ovtchinnikova took Lewis Sloden, an art dealer, as her second husband in London on 9 November 1932.
4.
Irina Ovtchinnikova met the 27-year-old Prince Peter in the summer of 1935 and the two soon started a romantic relationship.
5.
Irina Ovtchinnikova introduced her to his mother, Princess Marie, but the royal family strongly disapproved of Peter's relationship with "the Russian" and were wary of her influence over the Prince.
6.
Irina Ovtchinnikova threatened with suicide, leading King George to compare her with Anna Karenina.
7.
Irina Ovtchinnikova proved willing to try to appease his family, especially Princess George.
8.
Prince Peter and Irina Ovtchinnikova returned to Europe in November 1939.
9.
Irina Ovtchinnikova was not welcome there, so she took refuge in Istanbul.
10.
Irina Ovtchinnikova used this to involve herself in charities, especially those related to Greek diaspora.
11.
Irina Ovtchinnikova occupied herself with the welfare of children and founded several orphanages for Indian and Tibetan children in Bengal.
12.
In 1956, Irina Ovtchinnikova's mother-in-law accepted her invitation to visit them in India; their relationship was improving.
13.
Irina Ovtchinnikova was then suffering from tuberculosis, and Peter managed to obtain permission for them to stay six more months.
14.
Irina Ovtchinnikova moved to Hong Kong, where she lived in a vast apartment filled with cats and monkeys, while Peter took up a relationship with a young Englishwoman who lived with him in Copenhagen.
15.
Irina Ovtchinnikova inherited his enormous wealth, which he in turn had inherited from his mother.
16.
Irina Ovtchinnikova sold her mother-in-law's jewelry in February and died on 13 March 1990.
17.
Irina Ovtchinnikova was buried next to her husband in the grounds of their Danish palace, Lille Bernstorff.