The newsletter I received today contained two articles about the Pahlavi dynasty. The first is titled "Why Royal Family Still Haunts Iranians" and was published on 6 January 2011. The journalist, Azadeh Moaveni, referring to the recent death of the late Shah's youngest son Prince Ali Reza, asks why the former Royal (should be Imperial) Family still fascinates the Iranians.
Well, the activities of the former Imperial Family of Iran certainly are of interest to non-Iranians as well. The Pahlavi pretender to the Iranian throne, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi (titular Shah(ansah) of Iran), who resides in the United States, makes one alternative to the present Iranian dictatorship.
The second article, titled "Iran Reacts to Suicide of the Shah's Son", was published on 5 January 2011, and is also written by Azadeh Moaveni. The journalists writes that the Iranian leadership has tried to eliminate the former Imperial family from public discussion, but has not succeeded.
Following the death of Prince Ali Reza, it is a bit unclear who the current pretender's heir or if there is an heir after all. If the succession law is agnatic, the heir would be Reza Pahlavi's cousin Prince Patrick Ali Pahlavi [Prince Ali Islami], b. 1947. I hope to get more details on the Iranian monarchical constitution and succession law soon. For more information on the Pahlavi Dynasty, you are recommended to visit The Royal Ark.
Reza Pahlavi's other siblings are Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi, b. 1940, and Princess Farahnaz Pahlavi, b. 1963. His youngest sister Princess Leila Pahlavi, b. 1970, died in 2001 and is buried at the Cimetière de Passy in Paris, France.
Reza Pahlavi's mother Empress Farah Diba resides in Paris, France, but also owns a house in the United States.
Updated on Wednesday 19 January 2011 at 20.25 (see comments below).
The Empress could be said to reside in the United States. However, she really lives in Paris. She visits the United States on a regular basis. Her children and grandchildren are in the United States.
ReplyDeleteI have always been under the impression that Patrick does not have succession rights. That is why it was imperative for the last Shah to divorce Empress Soraya and remarry after Prince Ali Reza's (Muhammad Reza's brother's) death. Until then there had been the possibility that Ali Reza would make another, approved, marriage and provide an heir. Under the succession laws in place at the time of the Revolution, therefore, there are now no surviving heirs to the current pretender.
ReplyDeleteThanks to both for your input. I always thought that the Empress lived in the United States, but could be wrong. I guess the burial place of Princess Leila gives more sense, then.
ReplyDeleteConcerning the succession to the Iranian throne (Pahlavi), I hope to get hold of the text of the succession law to check out the question. I should made my comment about Prince Patrick with reservation, obviously.
DTH
"Copadan" is right; the ex-Empress lives in central Paris, but she also has a house in the USA.
ReplyDeleteThanks again to "Copadan", Gary and Trond for your corrections and comments. The article has now been updated.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, the last three paragraphs read before the corrections were made:
"Following the death of Prince Ali Reza, the current pretender's heir is now his cousin Prince Patrick Ali Pahlavi [Prince Ali Islami], b. 1947. For more information on the Pahlavi Dynasty, you are recommended to visit The Royal Ark.
Reza Pahlavi's other siblings are Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi, b. 1940, and Princess Farahnaz Pahlavi, b. 1963. His youngest sister Princess Leila Pahlavi, b. 1970, died in 2001 and is buried at the Cimetière de Passy in Paris, France.
Reza Pahlavi's mother Empress Farah Diba also resides in the United States."
Obviously I should have done better research before posting the article.
DTH
The last sentence of my first comment above, posted on Monday 17 January 2011 at 16:29, should have read:
ReplyDelete"I should have made my comment about Prince Patrick with reservation, obviously."
DTH