Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary

Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary became the second wife of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1951, ascending to the role of Queen of Iran. The marriage endured mounting pressures as it became clear she could not bear children, a reality that threatened the continuity of the Pahlavi dynasty. In March 1958, their divorce was announced, ending her time as queen. She pursued a brief career as an actress and entered a liaison with Italian film director Franco Indovina. She spent her remaining years living with her brother in Paris, where she died on 25 October 2001.