What happened Soraya Pahlavi?
Matthew Barrera
Updated on March 30, 2026
Soraya died on 26 October 2001 of undisclosed causes in her apartment in Paris, France; she was 69. The newspaper also published an article in 2001 which suggested, without proof, that Princess Soraya and her brother had been murdered. Her belongings were sold at auction in Paris in 2002, for more than $8.3 million.
Why did the Shah of Iran divorce Soraya?
As the daughter of a German Christian mother, Soraya was mistrusted by Shiite clerics; she was also resented by the Shah’s possessive mother. In March 1958, the Shah wept as he announced their divorce. The British Ambassador claimed that Soraya was the Shah’s only true love.
What kind of name is Soraya?
Persian
Soraya (Persian: ثریا) is a feminine Persian name. It is derived from the Arabic name for the Pleiades star cluster, Thurayya (Arabic: ثريّة)….Soraya.
| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Pleiades |
| Region of origin | Western Asia |
Who is the second wife of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi?
Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary (Persian:ثریا اسفندیاری بختیاری, Sorayâ Esfandiyâri-Baxtiyâri; 22 June 1932 – 26 October 2001) was the queen consort (Shahbanu) of Iran as the second wife of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, whom she married in 1951.
How do you pronounce Mohammad Reza Pahlavi?
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, pronounced [mohæmˈmæd reˈzɒː ˈʃɒːh pæhlæˈviː]; 26 October 1919 – 27 July 1980), also known as Mohammad Reza Shah (محمدرضاشاه Mohamad Rezā Ŝāh), was the last Shah of Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979.
What happened to Mohammad Reza’s wife Soraya?
Following the marriage, Soraya headed the family charity in Iran. Soraya’s marriage was troubled as Mohammad Reza’s mother and sisters all saw her as a rival for his love just as they had with his first wife Princess Fawzia Fuad of Egypt, and continually snubbed and inflicted petty humiliations on her.
What did Mohammad Reza Pahlavi die of?
In January 1979, rather than support a military crackdown that would have caused bloodshed, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi left Iran for exile. He died in Egypt from lymphoma on July 27, 1980. He is buried in Cairo’s Al-Rifa’i Mosque.
