The Spanish Royal Household has announced the passing of Her Royal Highness Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark, the aunt of King Felipe VI, at the age of 83. The princess died at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, with her sister, former Queen Sofia of Spain, by her side.
A Royal Life of Music and Exile
Born on 11 May 1942 in Cape Town, South Africa, Princess Irene entered the world in exile. Her parents, King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece, had fled their homeland after it fell to the Axis Powers in World War II. The family was able to return to Greece in 1947.
Irene was a gifted musician, trained from a young age by the renowned pianist Gina Bachauer. She pursued this passion professionally, becoming a concert pianist in the 1970s. Her talent was widely recognised, notably earning a three-minute standing ovation after a performance at London's Royal Festival Hall in 1969.
Family Bonds and a 'Peculiar' Aunt
Princess Irene never married or had children but was deeply connected to her siblings: Queen Sofia of Spain, 87, and the late King Constantine II of Greece. Known affectionately by her nieces and nephews as 'Aunt Pecu' – short for 'peculiar' – she was cherished for her eccentric and warm nature.
Her life was shaped by political turmoil. After her brother Constantine was deposed in a 1967 military coup and the monarchy abolished in 1973, Irene and her mother moved to India. There, she developed a deep interest in Hinduism and Vedic philosophy, reportedly converting to the faith.
A Quiet Life Beside Her Sister in Spain
Following her mother's death in 1981, the then 39-year-old Irene moved to Spain to be with Queen Sofia, who had married King Juan Carlos. "I came to Madrid for five days and stayed for five years," she once said, affirming that her place was beside her sister.
Though she shied from the spotlight, she was a steadfast presence at family engagements. An ardent philanthropist, she donated her inheritance to an NGO she founded in 1986. Princess Irene became a Spanish national in 2018 and had faced health challenges in recent years, including a battle with cancer in 2002.
The princess's passing marks the loss of a unique figure within European royalty, a talented artist who navigated a life of profound change with quiet dignity and deep familial devotion.
