Irene, Princess of Greece and Denmarkis a blue-blooded woman who boasts connections with practically the most important Royal Families of Europe, as well younger sister of Queen Emeritus Sofia of Spain and King Constantine II of Greece, who passed away in January 2023. Born in Cape Town, South Africa, she then lived in Greece and India, where she remained until her mother’s death, at which time she decided to move to Madrid to live with her sister Sofia.
Irene of Greece, childhood with her sister Sofia of Spain
Born in Cape Town on 11 May 1942, Irene was the youngest of the three children born from the love between the then Crown Prince Paul of Greece and Princess Federica of Hanover. At the time, her parents were in exile after the Italian invasion of Greece first and then the Nazi occupation, but fortunately the Princess was able to spend her childhood in her country together with her brothers and parents.
The Royals could return to Greece in 1946when Irene was still very young (she was only 4 years old), and a year later her father became King Paul of Greece while her brother Constantine, also a child, was officially appointed Crown Prince.
The years in India with his mother
At the death of his father due to stomach cancer, Constantine ascended the throne as successor but problems soon surfaced. Accused of pressure and machinations that led to the collapse of the Government of Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou, King Constantine II of Greece was deposed following a coup d’etat which forced him to flee to Rome, where he spent part of his exile.
At that point the monarchy was abolished in Greece and Irene decided to move with her mother to India. They were very special years for the Princess of Greece and Denmark, during which she approached Hinduism to the point of converting to this new faith. It is not known when exactly it happened, but according to an indiscretion of the time he stated: “Only the Vedas and Indian philosophy could show a path of peace to the world… Vedic life was above caste, region, religion and country. World peace can be achieved by following Vedic life.”
Irene’s passion for music
In addition to converting to Hinduism, music played a very important role in Irene’s life. The chronicles of the time praised the then young Princess, considered one one of the most brilliant pianists of his generation, also thanks to the teachings of concert pianist Gina Bachauer.
For some time Irene of Greece was actually a professional concert performer, making her debut at Royal Festival Hall in 1969 with the Bach Concerto no.2for which he received a three-minute standing ovation.
The decision to live in Spain with Sofia
In 1981 another event marked the life of Irene of Greece: the death of the mother Federica. At that point it was time for the Princess to change everything once again, so she decided to move to Madrid by his sister Sofia, then Queen of Spain.
From that moment on Irene lived in an apartment at Zarzuela of Madrid, or rather the royal residence where his nephew King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain currently live, the same one in which they raised their daughters, Princess and heir to the throne Leonor and Infanta Sofia.
Irene’s love life
A certain mystery has always hovered over the figure of Irene of Greece and Denmark. Despite her popularity, she has never sought the limelight and he has always kept any possible gossip at a distance but, inevitably, something has been said over time about his love life.
It is said, for example, that he had a long relationship with a married man met when he lived in Greece. Another rumor is also known – never confirmed, in fact – according to which the now deceased King Olav V of Norway would have wanted her to marry the current King Harald V, his son, but in the end the marriage fell apart for reasons still unknown.
Tags: Irene Greece sister Sofia Spain
